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, disrupting host cell processes.

• 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 and biochemical activity, revealing its ability to cleave both double- and single-stranded DNA and its interaction with the host helicase DnaB.
• The result: Ped1’s dual action impairs bacterial DNA integrity and replication, offering insights into phage-host interactions and a potential basis for new antimicrobials targeting multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa.