The enzyme, described from the fungi Candida albicans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, converts 2-oxopropanal to (R)-lactate in a single glutathione (GSH)-independent step. The other known route for this conversion is the two-step GSH-dependent pathway catalysed by EC
4.4.1.5 (lactoylglutathione lyase) and EC
3.1.2.6 (hydroxyacylglutathione hydrolase).