On the distribution of glyoxalase and glutathione

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Abstract
The specimens were ground with sand in a mortar with 5 times their wt. of distilled water. The debris was removed and 10 ml. of supernatant dialyzed against distilled water through cellophane. The presence of glyoxalase was detd. by measuring evolution of CO2 from methylglyoxal + NaHCO3 in the presence of glutathione in a Barcroft apparatus. Glyoxalase activity was detected in all the invertebrates tested: Actinea equina, Ascaris Lumbricoides, Aphrodite aculeata, Lumbricus sp., Carcinus maenas, (hepatopan-creas, muscle), Bombyx mori (larva, pupa), Auriflua (larva, pupa), Locusta (legs and wings), Athous haemorrhoides, Helix aspersa, Patella vulgata, Mytilus edulis, Paphia (Tapes) sp., Chione (Venus) sp., Ostrea edulis, Ascidiella aspersa; in the following algae: Cystoclomium sp., Calliblepharis sp., Chondrus crispus, Rhodymenia palmata, Ulva latissima, Entermorpha sp., Cladophora sp., Fucus spiralis; but not in Fucus serratus, Ascophyllum nodosum, Laminaria digitta, Laminaria saccharina; in the fungi Penicillium notatum, and Psalliota campestris; but in none of the conifers Cypress sp., Taxus baccata or Pinus sp.; in most of the higher plants: Helianthus tuberosus, Lactuca sativus, Brassica oleracea (cauliflower, cabbage), Nasturtium officinale, Rhaphanus sativus, Beta vulgaris, Allium cepa, Solanum tuberosum, Tropaeolum majus, Urtica dioica, Petroselinum sativum, Delphinium sp., Antirrhinum majus, Phlox, Dianthus sp. but not in Rosa (petals), or Salvia officinalis. Glutathione was isolated and characterized from the invertebrates, earthworms and locusts and from the plants Vicia faba (broad bean) and Cucurbita pepo (vegetable marrow).