It is used in cell lysis for bacterial DNARNA extraction (e.g. E. coli) cell-based assays microbiome research and producing protoplasts or spheroplasts. Additional uses include food preservation (as a natural antimicrobial) and pharmaceutical formulations.

Its primary purpose is hydrolyzing -14 glycosidic bonds in peptidoglycans of bacterial cell walls leading to lysis which aids in molecular biology protocols and biotech research.

Lysozyme from chicken egg white is a single-chain enzyme (molecular weight 14.3 kDa CAS 12650-88-3) available as a lyophilized powder or granules. The specified grade has a specific activity of 39000 unitsmg protein where one unit hydrolyzes 1 mol of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell walls per minute at pH 6.2 and 25C it appears white to off-white.