Sandbox 51: Difference between revisions

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Lysozyme is a powerful enzyme of biological significance found in abundance in tears, saliva, and human milk. In humans, it is encoded in the ''LYZ'' gene. Lysozyme is also known as muramidase, or glycoside hydrolase. Since it is a small, easily available, and  highly stable protein containing only 129 amino acid residues, it has been subject to extensive research regarding its function and structure. Hen Egg White (HEW) Lysozyme is shown below.
Lysozyme is a powerful enzyme of biological significance found in abundance in tears, saliva, and human milk. In humans, it is encoded in the ''LYZ'' gene. Lysozyme is also known as muramidase, or glycoside hydrolase. Since it is a small, easily available, and  highly stable protein containing only 129 amino acid residues, it has been subject to extensive research regarding its function and structure. Hen Egg White (HEW) Lysozyme is shown below.
=== History ===
Lysozyme is an enzyme known for its unique ability to degrade the polysaccharide architecture of many kinds of cell walls, normally for the purpose of protection against bacterial infection<ref>Lysozyme. 2010. Citizendium.org. http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Lysozyme</ref>. Its effects were first noticed by Laschtschenko in 1909. It was officially characterized and termed “lysozyme” by Alexander Fleming, the same person credited for the accidental discovery of penicillin.
The characterization of lysozyme in 1922 by Alexander Fleming was providential in that the undertaken experiment related to the discovery of lysozyme was not geared toward any knowledge of such a protein as lysozyme <ref>Lysozyme. 2008. Lysozyme.co.uk. http://lysozyme.co.uk/</ref>. During the unrelated experiment, nasal drippings were inadvertently introduced to a petri dish containing a bacterial culture, which culture consequently exhibited the results of an as yet unknown enzymatic reaction. The observation of this unknown reaction led to further research on the components of this reaction as well as to the corresponding identification of the newfound "lysozyme." Fleming's discovery was complemented by David C. Phillips' 1965 description of the three-dimensional structure of lysozyme via a 200 pm resolution model obtained from X-ray crystallography <ref>Lysozyme, 2008. Lysozyme.co.uk. http://lysozyme.co.uk/</ref>. Phillips' work was especially groundbreaking since Phillips had managed to successfully elucidate the structure of an enzyme via X-ray crystallography - a feat that had never before been accomplished<ref>Bugg, T. 1997. An Introduction to Enzyme and Coenzyme Chemistry. Blackwell Science Ltd., Oxford </ref>. Phillips' research also led to the first sufficiently described enzymatic mechanism of catalytic action <ref>1967. Proc R Soc Lond B Bio 167 (1009): 389–401.</ref>. Thus, Phillips' elucidation of the function of lysozyme led Phillips to reach a more general conclusion on the diversity of enzymatic chemical action in relation to enzymatic structure. Clearly, the findings of Phillips as well as the more general historical development of the understanding of the structure and function of lysozyme have been paramount to the more general realm of enzyme chemistry.


=== Function===
=== Function===
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=== History ===


Lysozyme is an enzyme known for its unique ability to degrade the polysaccharide architecture of many kinds of cell walls, normally for the purpose of protection against bacterial infection<ref>Lysozyme. 2010. Citizendium.org. http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Lysozyme</ref>. Its effects were first noticed by Laschtschenko in 1909. It was officially characterized and termed “lysozyme” by Alexander Fleming, the same person credited for the accidental discovery of penicillin.
The characterization of lysozyme in 1922 by Alexander Fleming was providential in that the undertaken experiment related to the discovery of lysozyme was not geared toward any knowledge of such a protein as lysozyme <ref>Lysozyme. 2008. Lysozyme.co.uk. http://lysozyme.co.uk/</ref>. During the unrelated experiment, nasal drippings were inadvertently introduced to a petri dish containing a bacterial culture, which culture consequently exhibited the results of an as yet unknown enzymatic reaction. The observation of this unknown reaction led to further research on the components of this reaction as well as to the corresponding identification of the newfound "lysozyme." Fleming's discovery was complemented by David C. Phillips' 1965 description of the three-dimensional structure of lysozyme via a 200 pm resolution model obtained from X-ray crystallography <ref>Lysozyme, 2008. Lysozyme.co.uk. http://lysozyme.co.uk/</ref>. Phillips' work was especially groundbreaking since Phillips had managed to successfully elucidate the structure of an enzyme via X-ray crystallography - a feat that had never before been accomplished<ref>Bugg, T. 1997. An Introduction to Enzyme and Coenzyme Chemistry. Blackwell Science Ltd., Oxford </ref>. Phillips' research also led to the first sufficiently described enzymatic mechanism of catalytic action <ref>1967. Proc R Soc Lond B Bio 167 (1009): 389–401.</ref>. Thus, Phillips' elucidation of the function of lysozyme led Phillips to reach a more general conclusion on the diversity of enzymatic chemical action in relation to enzymatic structure. Clearly, the findings of Phillips as well as the more general historical development of the understanding of the structure and function of lysozyme have been paramount to the more general realm of enzyme chemistry.


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