Cloning, characterization, and production of a novel lysozyme by different expression hosts.

Lysozyme is a protein found in egg white, tears, saliva, and other secretions. As a marketable natural alternative to preservatives, lysozyme can act as a natural antibiotic. In this study, we have isolated Bacillus licheniformis TIB320 from soil, which contains a lysozyme gene with various features. We have cloned and expressed the lysozyme in E. coli. The antimicrobial activity of the lysozyme showed that it had a broad antimicrobial spectrum against several standard strains. The lysozyme could maintain efficient activities in a pH range between 3 and 9 and from 20°C to 60°C, respectively. The lysozyme was resistant to pepsin and trypsin to some extent at 40°C. Production of the lysozyme was optimized by using various expression strategies in B. subtilis WB800. The lysozyme from B. licheniformis TIB320 will be promising as a food or feed additive.