MreC-MreD structure reveals a multifaceted interface that controls MreC conformation.

The peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall is critical for bacterial growth and survival and is a primary antibiotic target. MreD is an essential accessory factor of the Rod complex, which carries out PG synthesis during elongation, yet little is known about how MreD facilitates this process. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of MreD in complex with another essential Rod complex component, MreC.