The LbcA lipoprotein and CtpA protease assemble an oligomeric complex to control peptidoglycan hydrolases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa CtpA is a carboxyl terminal–processing protease that partners with the outer membrane lipoprotein LbcA to degrade cell wall cross-link hydrolases. This activity plays an important role in supporting P. aeruginosa virulence. However, almost nothing is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying CtpA and LbcA function. Here, we used structural analysis to show that CtpA alone assembles into an inactive hexamer comprising a trimer of dimers, which limits its substrate access and prevents nonspecific degradation. The adaptor protein LbcA is a right-handed open spiral with 11 tetratricopeptide repeats, which might wrap around a substrate to deliver it to CtpA for degradation. We found that up to three LbcA molecules can bind to one CtpA hexamer to assemble a giant, active protease complex that degrades its peptidoglycan hydrolase substrates both in vitro and in vivo. This work reveals an intricate protease activation mechanism that is substrate delivery-dependent and enables targeted removal of the peptidoglycan hydrolase substrates.