Penicillin-binding protein (PBP)

Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) are essential bacterial enzymes that catalyze peptidoglycan synthesis, providing structural integrity to the cell wall. β-lactam antibiotics target PBPs to inhibit their activity, leading to bacterial cell death. Mutations in PBPs or production of alternative PBPs are key mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, making them critical targets in antimicrobial research.