Understanding the role of the PGA capsule has opened up new avenues for treating anthrax infections, particularly because standard antibiotics might not always be enough in late-stage, high-toxin scenarios.
Poly-D-Glutamic Acid (PGA) is a naturally occurring, biodegradable, and non-toxic polymer composed of D-glutamic acid units. It is a type of polyamino acid, which is a class of polymers that are similar to proteins. poly d glutamic acid capsule
| Gene | Function | |------|----------| | capB | Capsule biosynthesis protein | | capC | Depolymerase/processing | | capA | Membrane-associated protein for polymerization | | dep | Capsule depolymerase (may be involved in release/modulation) | Understanding the role of the PGA capsule has