Source: cirosantilli/lysozyme

= Lysozyme
{tag=Enzyme}
{tag=Protein}
{tag=Inate immune system}
{wiki}

The <lysozyme structure resolution (1965)>[second protein to have its structure determined], <myoglobin structure resolution (1958)>[after myoglobin], by <X-ray crystallography>, in 1965.

Breaks up <peptidoglycan> present in the <bacterial cell wall>, which is thicker in <Gram-positive bacteria>, which is what this <enzyme> seems to target.

Part of the <inate immune system>.

It is present on basically everything that <mammals> and <birds> <excrete>, and it kills <bacteria>, both of which are reasons why it was discovered relatively early on.