An enyme that was first identified and named by Alexander Fleming, who recognized its bacteriolytic properties. It has been designated muramidase, since it is known to facilitate the hydrolysis of a β-1-4-glycosidic bond between N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid in bacterial cell walls; it also hydrolyzes similar glycosidic bonds in fragments of chitin. In recognition of this enzyme function, the International Enzyme Commission assigned the official chemical name of N-acetylmuramide glycanohydrolyase, coded as 3.2.1.17.