Peroxidases from marine microalgae

Peroxidase activity was detected in cell-free extracts of strains of three species of the marine microalgae, Porphyridium purpureum, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Dunaliella tertiolecta. However, no bromo- or chloroperoxidase activity was detected in any, using the standard 2-chlorodimedone assay. Only the extract from P. purpureum oxidized iodide and this peroxidase was partially purified via anion-exchange chromatography. KI and o-dianisidine assay of the fractions indicated that only one peroxidase was present. Characterization of the thermally labile enzyme suggested that it is a heme-containing peroxidase, with a molecular weight of approximately 36,000.