Lysozyme is a well-known antimicrobial enzyme that hydrolyze…
Lysozyme is a well-known antimicrobial enzyme that hydrolyzes the β-(1,4) glycosidic bonds between N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) in bacterial cell walls, leading to cell lysis. Its catalytic mechanism has been debated extensively, with two main proposals resembling SN1 and SN2 pathways. In the SN1-like mechanism—originally proposed by Phillips—the enzyme binds and distorts the substrate, facilitating the formation of an oxocarbenium ion intermediate that is subsequently attacked by water, leading to bond cleavage in a stepwise manner. In contrast, the SN2-like mechanism envisions a concerted process where bond cleavage and bond formation occur simultaneously, potentially involving a covalent glycosyl-enzyme intermediate that is later hydrolyzed to release the product. Recent kinetic isotope studies and QM/MM simulations suggest that lysozyme may employ features of both mechanisms, with the reaction pathway being influenced by substrate structure and reaction conditions. The following intermediate is formed by which mechanism?
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