Lysozyme

Lysozyme is an enzyme (EC ), commonly referred to as the "body's own antibiotic". It is abundantly present in a number of secretions, such as tears.

This enzyme functions by attacking peptidoglycan by hydrolyzing the bond that connects N-acetylmuramic acid with carbon four of N-acetylglucosamine.

Lysozyme levels in the blood are often increased in sarcoidosis.

In some forms of hereditary amyloid, the cause is a mutation in the lysozyme gene, which leads to accumulated lysozyme in several tissues (OMIM ).

History

Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), who discovered penicillin, described lysozyme in 1922 (Fleming A. On a remarkable bacteriolytic element found in tissues and secretions. Proc Roy Soc Ser B 1922;93:306-17).