Electron vanadium bromoperoxidases

From comparison of antitumor activity and toxicity of hetero-ligand vanadium(V) complexes, Djordjevic and Wampler (79) arrived at the conclusion that the hetero-ligand is able to affect the redox potential of the V(V)/V(IV) couple in such a way that intramolecular electron transfer can occur within the V(V)-peroxoadduct. As a consequence, vanadium(V) is reduced to the IV state, and the peroxo group is oxidized to a superoxide radical. It is conceivable that such a species is present also during the reaction of vanadium bromoperoxidase with H2O2. However, there is no evidence for a radical type of reaction with bro-moperoxidases. 

Burgmayer SJN (1998) Electron Transfer in Transition Metal-Pteridine Systems. 92 67-119 Butler A, Baldwin AH (1997) Vanadium Bromoperoxidase and Functional Mimics. 89 109-132... 

A question that must be answered is why nature has chosen vanadium as a prosthetic group in bromoperoxidases. As pointed out by Djor jevic (75), the electron-rich peroxide group will easily form complexes with metal ions of low configuration, such as molybdenum and... 

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