Lysozyme

Lysozyme is a hydrolytic enzyme and a key component of the innate immune system, found in various animal and plant sources. It functions as an antimicrobial agent by degrading bacterial cell walls, and it also plays a role in modulating immune responses. Its structure and mechanism have been extensively studied, making it a model enzyme in biochemistry. Lysozyme has applications in food preservation, pharmaceuticals, and potentially in cancer therapy due to its immunomodulatory properties.

Other names

MuramidaseN-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase

Lysozyme hydrolyzes the β-(1,4)-glycosidic bond between N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) in peptidoglycan, leading to bacterial cell wall lysis.