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Lysozyme that is present in perspiration, saliva and tears, destroys
A
certain types of bacteria
B
all viruses
C
most virus-infected cells
D
certain fungi
Detailed Solution
Lysozyme is an antibacterial enzyme present in body secretions such as tears, saliva, sweat and mucus.
It forms part of the physiological barriers of innate immunity.
It breaks the glycosidic bonds of the peptidoglycan (murein) layer of the bacterial cell wall.
With the cell wall damaged, the bacterial cell bursts by osmotic lysis.
It is most effective against Gram-positive bacteria, whose thick peptidoglycan layer is exposed; so it destroys certain types of bacteria, not all microbes.
Viruses and virus-infected cells have no peptidoglycan, and the cell wall of fungi is made of chitin, so lysozyme does not destroy them.
So lysozyme destroys certain types of bacteria.
It forms part of the physiological barriers of innate immunity.
It breaks the glycosidic bonds of the peptidoglycan (murein) layer of the bacterial cell wall.
With the cell wall damaged, the bacterial cell bursts by osmotic lysis.
It is most effective against Gram-positive bacteria, whose thick peptidoglycan layer is exposed; so it destroys certain types of bacteria, not all microbes.
Viruses and virus-infected cells have no peptidoglycan, and the cell wall of fungi is made of chitin, so lysozyme does not destroy them.
So lysozyme destroys certain types of bacteria.