COLILYSIN Meaning and
Definition
-
Colilysin is a term derived from the combination of "coli" referring to Escherichia coli, a well-known species of bacteria, and "lysin" which means a substance that can cause lysis, or the breaking down, of cells. Colilysin is a specific protein that is produced by certain strains of E. coli and possesses the ability to induce the lysis of cells.
In more technical terms, colilysin can be described as a bacteriocin, which is a type of antimicrobial peptide synthesized by bacteria to inhibit the growth of other bacteria. Produced primarily by E. coli strains, colilysin exhibits a unique property of possessing lytic activity against a range of gram-negative bacteria, particularly those belonging to the same species. The protein functions by disrupting the structural integrity of the cell membrane of susceptible bacteria, causing it to rupture and leading to cell death.
Colilysin has been studied extensively due to its potential applications in various fields, including medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. Researchers have identified and isolated different colilysin variants, characterized their mechanisms of action, and explored their potential therapeutic uses. This includes scenarios where colilysin could be employed as an alternative treatment option against multidrug-resistant bacteria, helping to combat the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance.
Overall, colilysin represents an important and promising area of research, offering potential innovative strategies for tackling bacterial infections and contributing to the development of new antimicrobial approaches.
-
An hemolysin formed by Bacillus coli.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for COLILYSIN
- xolilysin
- volilysin
- folilysin
- dolilysin
- cililysin
- cklilysin
- cllilysin
- cplilysin
- c0lilysin
- c9lilysin
- cokilysin
- copilysin
- cooilysin
- colulysin
- coljlysin
- colklysin
- cololysin
- col9lysin
- col8lysin
- colikysin
Etymology of COLILYSIN
The word "colilysin" is a compound word composed of two parts: "coli" and "lysin".
1. "Coli" refers to Escherichia coli, a species of bacteria commonly known as E. coli. The term "coli" comes from the genus name Escherichia, which was named after Theodor Escherich, a German-Austrian pediatrician and bacteriologist who first discovered this bacterium in the late 19th century.
2. "Lysin" is derived from the Greek word "lysis", meaning "loosening" or "dissolution". In biology, "lysin" specifically refers to an enzyme or protein that has the ability to cause lysis, the breaking down or destruction of cells.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
