Description
This gene encodes human lysozyme, whose natural substrate is the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (cleaving the beta[1-4]glycosidic linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine). Lysozyme is one of the antimicrobial agents found in human milk,and is also present in spleen,lung,kidney,white blood cells,plasma,saliva,and tears. The protein has antibacterial activity against a number of bacterial species. Missense mutations in this gene have been identified in heritable renal amyloidosis.