Elongasome

A protein complex that catalyzes peptidoglycan biosynthesis and is thereby involved in maintaining cell shape

Complex members

• cell wall biosynthetic enzymes at the outer side of the membrane: penicillin-binding proteins (PbpA, PbpH, perhaps also PbpC, DacC, PbpI)
• transmembrane proteins: MreC, MreD, RodA, RodZ, they couple the cytosolic actin-like proteins to the extracellular peptidoglycan-synthesizing machinery
• actin-like proteins at the inner surface of the membrane: MreB, MreBH, Mbl, the polymers control/restrict the mobility of the cell wall elongation enzyme complex

Related pages

• penicillin-binding proteins
• cell shape
• cell wall synthesis
• Cell wall synthesis in SubtiPathways

Labs working on the complex

• Rut Carballido-Lopez, Jouy-en-Josas
• Jeff Errington, Newcastle upon Tyne
• David Rudner, New York