This family contains glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH)-like proteins that have yet to be characterized, but show sequence homology with glycerol dehydrogenase. Glycerol dehydrogenases (GlyDH) is a key enzyme in the glycerol dissimilation pathway. In anaerobic conditions, many microorganisms utilize glycerol as a source of carbon through coupled oxidative and reductive pathways. One of the pathways involves the oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone with the reduction of NAD+ to NADH catalyzed by glycerol dehydrogenases. Dihydroxyacetone is then phosphorylated by dihydroxyacetone kinase and enters the glycolytic pathway for further degradation. The activity of GlyDH is zinc-dependent; the zinc ion plays a role in stabilizing an alkoxide intermediate at the active site.