Lysozyme

Lysozyme is a glycoside hydrolase which hydrolyzes 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in peptidoglycan and between N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in chitodextrin. Peptidoglycan is a major component of cell walls of gram-positive bacteria which makes these bacteria susceptible to lysis by lysozyme. It is used to lyse bacteria and to prepare spheroplasts. Lysozyme is purified from chicken egg white and freeze dried.