Penicillin‐binding protein 2a of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract High‐level resistance to β‐lactam antibiotics in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is due to expression of penicillin‐binding protein 2a (PBP2a), a transpeptidase that catalyzes cell‐wall crosslinking in the face of the challenge by β‐lactam antibiotics. The activity of this protein is regulated by allostery at a site 60 Å distant from the active site, where crosslinking of cell wall takes place. This review discusses the state of knowledge on this important enzyme of cell‐wall biosynthesis in MRSA. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(8):572–577, 2014