Pseudomonas aeruginosa β-carbonic anhydrase, psCA1, is required for calcium deposition and contributes to virulence.

Calcification of soft tissue leads to serious diseases and has been associated with bacterial chronic infections. However, the origin and the molecular mechanisms of calcification remain unclear. Here we hypothesized that a human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa deposits extracellular calcium, a process requiring carbonic anhydrases (CAs).