noun
- Plural of autolysin; enzymes produced by bacteria that break down their own cell walls, often contributing to cell death or lysis.
Usage: technical; microbiology; plural form
Examples
- Autolysins are responsible for the degradation of peptidoglycan in bacterial cell walls.
- The release of autolysins during stationary phase can lead to programmed cell death in bacteria.
- Researchers studied how autolysins contribute to biofilm formation and dispersal.
- Certain antibiotics work by inhibiting the regulation of autolysins in pathogenic bacteria.