Penicillin binding protein

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Bacterial proteins that exhibit either transpeptidase or carboxypeptidase activity. They are involved in the complex synthesis of peptidoglycans where they mediate the removal of D-alanine from a precursor to facilitate inter-molecular linking.

Their name is derived from the observation that they bind radioactive penicillin and can thus be detected by autoradiography of electrophoresis gels. Further, names usually include a number which relates to its molecular weight.

The action of the β-lactam antibiotics (which includes penicillin) involves binding these proteins, thus preventing the formation of peptidoglycans which are essential components of the cell wall.