The most common pathway for methylglyoxal detoxification is the glyoxalase system, which is composed of two enzymes that together convert methylglyoxal to (R)-lactate in the presence of glutathione. However, in E. coli, a single enzyme, glyoxalase III, catalyzes this conversion in a single step without involvement of glutathione. Activity of glyoxalase III increases at the transition to stationary phase and expression is dependent on RpoS, suggesting that this pathway may be important during stationary phase. (EcoCyc)

Methylglyoxal Degradation II References