“Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic gram-negative bacterial pathogen associated with hospital-acquired infections, and carbapenem-resistant strains present a particularly acute biomedical threat. Here, we show that PBP2, which is the major enzyme responsible for bacterial cell shape, … holds a noteworthy zinc-binding site in the transpeptidase domain. Gene mutations that disrupt Zn coordination prevent functional complementation consistent with loss of function in vivo. These results provide a rationale for the requirements of zinc in cellular metabolism and shape determination in Acinetobacter baumannii, offering a perspective for future antimicrobial strategies.”

Find the paper and full list of authors at PNAS.