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Reference.org
Glyoxalase system
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<p>The glyoxalase system is a set of enzymes that carry out the <a href="/facts/Detoxification/SQzAYKQj">detoxification</a> of <a href="/facts/Methylglyoxal/S3WMsTcU">methylglyoxal</a> and the other reactive <a href="/facts/Aldehyde/xSIRkW03">aldehydes</a> that are produced as a normal part of <a href="/facts/Metabolism/WxDrm8k5">metabolism</a>. This system has been studied in both <a href="/facts/Bacteria/wC8xSCsU">bacteria</a> and <a href="/facts/Eukaryote/SkwyPLMA">eukaryotes</a>. This detoxification is accomplished by the sequential action of two thiol-dependent enzymes; first, <a href="/facts/Lactoylglutathione_lyase/De5smz6Q">glyoxalase І</a> catalyzes the isomerization of the spontaneously formed <a href="/facts/Hemithioacetal/q9oU2RLt">hemithioacetal</a> <a href="/facts/Adduct/vBpTmotm">adduct</a> between <a href="/facts/Glutathione/5bSxjusL">glutathione</a> and 2-oxoaldehydes (such as methylglyoxal) into S-2-hydroxyacylglutathione. Subsequently, <a href="/facts/Hydroxyacylglutathione_hydrolase/fm6WYVkS">glyoxalase ІІ</a> hydrolyses these thioesters and in the case of methylglyoxal <a href="/facts/Catabolism/CFWUdphX">catabolism</a>, produces D-lactate and GSH from S-D-lactoyl-glutathione. </p><p>This system shows many of the typical features of the enzymes that dispose of endogenous toxins. However, in contrast to the amazing substrate range of many of the enzymes involved in <a href="/facts/Xenobiotic_metabolism/I5nQ28Ma">xenobiotic metabolism</a>, it shows a narrow substrate specificity. Intracellular <a href="/facts/Thiol/VemKEDP9">thiols</a> are required as part of its enzymatic mechanism and the system acts to recycle reactive metabolites back to a form which may be useful to cellular metabolism. </p>