The oxidation of polychlorinated benzenes by genetically engineered cytochrome P450(cam): potential applications in bioremediation

Polychlorinated aromatic compounds are persistent environmental contaminant s; we describe here the redesign and engineering of the haem monooxygenase cytochrome P450(cam) to oxidise these compounds efficiently to the chlorina ted phenols which are readily degraded by many micro-organisms, thus provid ing a basis for novel systems for biological clean-up of these inert compou nds.