PBP2RodAspecific

PBP2RodAspecific is a term used to describe a proposed interaction specificity between Penicillin-Binding Protein 2 (PBP2) and RodA, a member of the SEDS family, within bacterial elongasome complexes that govern lateral peptidoglycan synthesis in rod-shaped bacteria. In many bacteria, RodA polymerizes glycan strands while PBP2 crosslinks them, coordinating cell elongation and maintenance of rod shape.

The concept of PBP2RodAspecific denotes a putative surface region or interface on PBP2 that preferentially engages RodA, thereby stabilizing the complex and linking transglycosylation with transpeptidation. Structural and genetic studies across various species suggest that the RodA–PBP2 interaction is crucial for processive peptidoglycan synthesis along MreB-guided tracks, though the exact interface and its degree of conservation vary among organisms. The term is used descriptively in some discussions to emphasize the specificity of this interaction, rather than to denote a distinct, universally recognized protein or gene name.

Biological significance attributed to PBP2RodAspecific includes its role in maintaining cell shape during growth and division; disruption of the RodA–PBP2 interaction can lead to defects in elongation and morphology. From a clinical perspective, understanding this specificity may inform antibiotic strategies aimed at the bacterial elongasome, as compounds that interfere with the PBP2–RodA interface could impair cell wall synthesis.

See also: RodA, PBP2, elongasome, bacterial cell wall synthesis.