Mumbai, Apr 17 (PTI) Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have discovered a host protein that uses tiny tweezer-like machines to kill germs before they harm the human body.

The study to discover the new arsenal of the human immune system was conducted by a group of researchers led by IIT Bombay Prof Anirban Banerjee, said the institute on Thursday.

The study found a host protein, which works like an elite special operation unit that detects the threats and neutralises them before they can cause harm to the body, it said.

When bacteria attack the cells and steal nutrients from them, human cells recognise this as a hazard and tag them as a ‘Red Flag’ using a special protein called “Ubiquitin”.

That is when human cells get to work like tiny plucking machines targeting the flagged bacteria and pulling out these hair-like projections from bacterial membranes (surface proteins) to tear them apart, said the institute, citing the study conducted recently.

It is similar to a swarm of piranhas, surrounding its prey, eating them piece by piece. This prevents the germs from spreading or making us sick. The findings could lead to new ways to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are becoming a burgeoning problem globally, according to the researchers.

“The study highlights that as pathogens evolve, our cells also learn to fight back more efficiently, offering hope for better and more effective treatment in this battle against infection,” Prof Banerjee noted. PTI SM RSY