Lysozyme

Lysozyme

Lysozyme is commonly referred to “the body’s natural antibiotic” and is found in egg whites, tears, and is responsible for breaking down the polysaccharide walls of many kinds of bacteria, providing protection against infection.

History
Lysozyme was discovered in 1922 by Alexander Fleming by accident in his laboratory. Nasal drippings accidentally fell into a Petri dish containing a bacterial culture causing an unexpected reaction. This phenomenon was carefully investigated and the main acting enzyme was identified as Lysozyme. Lysozyme cleaves the bond between N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG) and N-acetyl muramic (NAM) in the cell wall of gram positive bacteria which causes the cell wall of the bacteria to rupture, making it susceptible to osmotic shock.

Lysozyme is a commercially valuable enzyme used for many purposes, including the treatment of ulcers and infections, and as a food and drug preservative.