Lysozyme that is present in perspiration, saliva and tears, destroys:
- Certain types of bacteria
- Most virus-infected cells
- All viruses
- Certain fungi
Answer
(1) Certain types of bacteria
Solution
As per NCERT, saliva in the mouth and tears from the eyes are physiological barriers of innate immunity that prevent microbial growth.
⇒ These secretions contain the enzyme lysozyme.
∵ Lysozyme hydrolyses the peptidoglycan (murein) of the bacterial cell wall, so the cell wall breaks and the bacterium is killed; it mainly acts on Gram-positive bacteria.
∴ Lysozyme destroys certain types of bacteria.
Answer: (1)