MacP bypass variants of Streptococcus pneumoniae PBP2a suggest a conserved mechanism for the activation of bifunctional cell wall synthases
ABSTRACTThe peptidoglycan (PG) layer protects bacteria from osmotic lysis and defines their shape.The class A penicillin-binding proteins (aPBPs) are PG synthases that possess both glycan polymerization and crosslinking activities needed for PG biogenesis.In Gram-negative bacteria, aPBPs require activation by outer membrane lipoproteins, which are