lysozyme

noun

ly·​so·​zyme ˈlī-sə-ˌzīm How to pronounce lysozyme (audio)
: a basic bacteriolytic protein that hydrolyzes peptidoglycan and is present in egg white and in human tears and saliva

Examples of lysozyme in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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There, in 1965, David Phillips, one of the pioneers of protein crystallography, first determined the structure of an enzyme: lysozyme, which the immune system uses to attack bacteria. Quanta Magazine, 26 June 2024 Active ingredients: Grapefruit seed extract, zinc, vitamin D3, lysozyme, lactoferrin, and lactoperoxidase Zymox Shampoo with Vitamin D3 is formulated to ease itchy, inflamed skin. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2022 All tested positive for lysozyme. Claudia Kalb, Scientific American, 27 Apr. 2021 About 50 years ago, researchers found that one particular bacteria that secreted a lysozyme capable of cutting harmful pathogens like MRSA apart. Leslie Nemo, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2019 No one knew how the molecule managed to puncture bacteria, so Mesnage and his colleagues set out to document how the lysozyme attached to and destroyed cell walls. Leslie Nemo, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2019 After mixing cell wall fragments and the lysozyme together, the research team tracked how the toxin interacted with its target. Leslie Nemo, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2019 Whole Foods issued a recall for Zerto Fontal cheese because the product contains egg lysozyme. Chris Smith, BGR, 6 Oct. 2022 The product contains egg lysozyme, an egg-white protein and allergen that is not declared on the label. Marc Bona, cleveland, 1 July 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lysozyme was in 1922

Dictionary Entries Near lysozyme

Cite this Entry

“Lysozyme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lysozyme. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

lysozyme

noun
ly·​so·​zyme ˈlī-sə-ˌzīm How to pronounce lysozyme (audio)
: a basic bacteriolytic protein that hydrolyzes peptidoglycan and is present in egg white and in saliva and tears

called also muramidase

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