Lysin

Function

Lysin (Lys) is a protein which cleaves cell walls. Egg Lysin, a protein from abalone sperm, creates a hole in the envelope of the egg, permitting the sperm to pass through the envelope and fuse with the egg.

Structural highlights

The structure of lysin, refined at 1.9 angstroms resolution, reveals an alpha-helical, amphipathic molecule. you can see the alpha helixes in pink. exhibits three features: two tracks of basic residues that span the length of the molecule, a solvent-exposed cluster of ,(in green) and an extended amino-terminal hypervariable domain that is species-specific. The structure suggests possible mechanisms of action^[1].

ReferencesReferences

↑ Sumi T, Kishino Y. Histochemical and ultracytochemical detection of pyridoxal and pyridoxamine phosphate hydrolase in rat tissues. Tokushima J Exp Med. 1980 Dec;27(3-4):57-62. PMID:6266073

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Carmit Ginesin, Michal Harel, Jaime Prilusky, Alexander Berchansky, Joel L. Sussman

[1] Sumi T, Kishino Y. Histochemical and ultracytochemical detection of pyridoxal and pyridoxamine phosphate hydrolase in rat tissues. Tokushima J Exp Med. 1980 Dec;27(3-4):57-62. PMID:6266073

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