The Purification and Properties of Glycolaldehyde Dehydrogenase

Chemicals. Glycolaldehyde-2-14C was prepared by heating DL-serine-3-14C (i*8 mg. o-i mCuries), ninhydrin (15 mg.) and formic acid (1 ml., i-o N) in a water bath at 80o C. On shaking the tube containing the reactants a blue colour appeared which quickly faded. Heating was continued until the blue colour no longer appeared on shaking. The tube was cooled, water (3 ml.) was added, and the solution passed through a small column of granulated charcoal. Immediately radioactivity was detected emerging from the column the solution was collected and the column washed with 2 ml. of water. The