The oxidative brominating activity of an organic solvent-tolerant recombinant metal-free bromoperoxidase BPO-A1 with C-terminal His-tag (rBPO-A1), from Streptomyces aureofaciens found to depend on various additives. These included carboxylic acids, used as cofactors and alcohols, used as water-miscible organic solvents. Enzyme activity was significantly enhanced by using propanoic acid (PA) as a cofactor, which had a high Log D at pH 5.0 and ethylene glycol with a low Log P. The positional specificity of oxidative hydroxybromination for olefins, using rBPO-A1 and PA in the presence of methanol, was higher compared to a non-enzymatic reaction using peracetic acid. The oxidative bromination step, occurring after enzymatic peroxidation step, is suggested to be pseudoenzymatic. • Activity of recombinat BPO-A1 is significantly enhanced by propoinate cofactor. • High regiospecificity of enzymatic oxidative hydroxybromination for olefins. • Competition of substrates and organic solvents in hydrophobic interaction with enzyme. • Important evidence for enzymatic contribution in the oxidative bromination step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]