lysin

American

[lahy-sin] / ˈlaɪ sɪn /

noun

Immunology, Biochemistry.

an antibody causing the disintegration of erythrocytes or bacterial cells.

lysin British

/ ˈlaɪsɪn /

noun

any of a group of antibodies or other agents that cause dissolution of cells against which they are directed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lysin

First recorded in 1895–1900; lys- + -in ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The identification of the lysin that attacks S. hominis is also the result of the comprehensive genome analysis."

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2024

The team then synthesized a lysin from a bacteriophage, or virus that attacks bacteria, that infects S. hominis.

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2024

During in vitro experiments, this lysin was found to target only S. hominis, not other bacteria normally present on the skin.

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2024

By studying a virus that can invade and attack the anthrax bacillus, scientists isolated an enzyme, called lysin, that breaks apart the cell's walls, causing it to die.

From Time Magazine Archive

The difference is often greater when using weaker solutions than when using stronger dilutions of lysin.

From Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why What Medical Writers Say by Allen, Martha Meir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023