The bacterial isolate HJ1, which was identified as a Methylobacterium sp., grew on 2, 2-dichloropropionic acid as the sole carbon source and produced a 2-haloalkanoic acid hydrolytic dehalogenase. This non-stereospecific dehalogenase E (DehE) catalysed the hydrolytic dechlorination of 2, 2-dichloropropionic acid and D, L-2-chloropropionic acid to produce pyruvate and lactate, respectively. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The molecular weight was 36 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 72 kDa by gel filtration, suggesting that the enzyme is a protein dimer. The purified enzyme was only inhibited by HgSO₄ and was non-stereospecific to haloalkanoic acids. The K_m value for the hydrolysis of 2, 2-dichloropropionic acid was 0.25 mM. The enzyme removes chloride present on the ?-position, but not on the ?-position, of a number 2-carbon alkanoic acids.