An enzyme produced by bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) that breaks down bacterial cell walls, allowing the virus to escape and spread to other cells.
From Greek 'endo-' meaning 'within' and 'lysin' from 'lysis' meaning 'breaking down.' The term emerged in molecular biology in the late 20th century to describe the specific proteins phages use to lyse bacterial membranes.
Scientists are now using endolysins as potential antibiotics to fight drug-resistant bacteria—nature's tiny scissors could be our next medical breakthrough because they're so precise they only attack specific bacterial species.
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