The major steps in the sulfo-ED pathway are:
* oxidation of sulfoquinovose to sulfogluconolactone (catalyzed by sulfoquinovose dehydrogenase with NAD co-factor);
* hydrolysis of sulfogluconolactone to sulfogluconate acid (catalyzed by sulfogluconolactonase with water);
* dehydration of sulfogluconic acid to 2-keto-3,6-dideoxy-6-sulfogluconate (catalyzed by sulfogluconate dehydratase);
* retro-aldol cleavage of 2-keto-3,6-dideoxy-6-sulfogluconate to give pyruvate and (S)-sulfolactaldehyde (catalyzed by sulfoketogluconate dehydrogenase with NAD co-factor);
* oxidation of sulfolactaldehyde to (S)-sulfolactate (catalyzed by sulfolactaldehyde dehydrogenase with NAD co-factor).