Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An enzyme occurring naturally in egg white, human tears, saliva, and other body fluids, capable of destroying the cell walls of certain bacteria and thereby acting as a mild antiseptic.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun biochemistry A bacteriolytic (or antibiotic) enzyme found in many animal secretions, and in egg white.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an enzyme found in saliva and sweat and tears that destroys the cell walls of certain bacteria

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From lyso- + enzyme.

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Examples

  • Interestingly, lysozyme is also found in tears, so in theory you could fine your Cabernets by weeping into them.

    Wine, allergies, histamines and sulfites - reactions from an allergist | Dr Vino's wine blog 2010

  • NMR spectroscopy of the protein lysozyme in their experimental new superconducting spectrometer, and published the first paper on that subject.

    Paul C. Lauterbur - Autobiography 2004

  • Presented with the medical term "lysozyme," he blurted out: "May I please have all the information on this word?"

    USATODAY.com News 2011

  • Presented with the medical term "lysozyme," he blurted out: "May I please have all the information on this word?"

    USATODAY.com News 2011

  • Tears are salt, as are all body fluids, and also contain a protein called lysozyme, which has the ability to kill bacteria and thus lend tears a disinfecting quality.

    The Human Brain Asimov, Isaac 1963

  • The speller with the most commanding stage presence continued to be Surjo Bandyopadhyay of Lusby, Md., who heard the medical word "lysozyme" and blurted out: "May I please have all the information on this word?"

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • The speller with the most commanding stage presence continued to be Surjo Bandyopadhyay of Lusby, Md., who heard the medical word "lysozyme" and blurted out: "May I please have all the information on this word?"

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • These contain a chemical called "lysozyme" which functions as an anti-bacterial and protects our eyes from infection.

    Judith Orloff MD: The Health Benefits of Tears 2010

  • Fig. 3A and B) revealed that MstnPP soluble aggregates exhibit a morphology and size similar to that documented for amyloid protofibrils from a number of other proteins such as lysozyme Characterisation of MstnPP soluble aggregates by negative-stain transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ThT binding.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Carlene S. Starck et al. 2010

  • Fig. 3A and B) revealed that MstnPP soluble aggregates exhibit a morphology and size similar to that documented for amyloid protofibrils from a number of other proteins such as lysozyme Characterisation of MstnPP soluble aggregates by negative-stain transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ThT binding.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Carlene S. Starck et al. 2010

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