Beta-barrel assembly machinery protein A (BamA) (BamA)

Beta-barrel assembly machinery protein A (BamA) is an essential and highly conserved outer membrane protein found in Gram-negative bacteria, including the multi-drug resistant pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii. It serves as the central component of the BAM complex, which is responsible for the folding and insertion of other beta-barrel proteins into the outer membrane, a process vital for bacterial survival and virulence. Due to its critical role in maintaining the bacterial cell envelope and its accessibility on the cell surface, BamA has emerged as a high-priority novel target for the development of new classes of antibiotics. Compounds such as Darobactin specifically target BamA by binding to its lateral gate, effectively stalling the machinery and causing lethal membrane defects. Its high degree of conservation across clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) makes it a particularly attractive candidate for therapeutic intervention in hospital-acquired infections.

Other names

Novel conserved outer membrane proteinOmp85YaeTBAM complex subunit BamA

Inhibition of the BAM complex prevents the folding and insertion of essential beta-barrel proteins into the bacterial outer membrane, leading to loss of membrane integrity and bacterial cell death.