Wash your STOMACH out with soap?!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Uh oh… food poisoning! There’s always Pepto, but what about preventative care?
Enter Ryan Gaudet and team at Yale University.
They grew human cells in dishes, trying to isolate a gene that could fight off salmonella. The researchers removed genes one by one, and then introduced the cells to bacteria.
And what was the special ingredient?
Cells WITHOUT a gene called A-P-O-L-3 were FULL of bacteria. BINGO! The team put the protein made by it directly onto salmonella, and….
“I’m melting!” cried the salmonella as the protein dissolved its protective membrane — just like soap!
This discovery could lead to better antibiotic-free disinfectants.
Even our cells know you’re SOAP-posed to wash your hands!
Reference: Gaudet, R.G., Zhu, S., Halder, A. et al. A human apolipoprotein L with detergent-like activity kills intracellular pathogens. Science 373, 6552 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf8113