A dual-action bacteriophage protein Ped1 degrades DNA and blocks replication in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Ped1, a dual-function phage protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage PaoP5, degrades DNA and inhibits replication by targeting DnaB.

• Why it matters: Understanding how phages dismantle bacterial physiology is crucial for developing effective phage therapies against rising antimicrobial resistance.
• What they did: Researchers determined Ped1’s 2.3-Å crystal structure, revealing a unique α/β-nuclease architecture, and demonstrated its interaction with host DnaB helicase to suppress DNA replication.
• The result: Ped1’s dual activity disrupts genomic integrity and replication, offering insights into phage-host interactions and a potential scaffold for new antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa.