Among their pleiotropic effects, IFN-I (α and β) transmits its signals in healthy cells surrounding the site of infection through the type I IFN receptor (IFNAR) and the Jak/Stat signalling pathway to further initiate the transcription of several interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) that collaborate at diverse levels to establish an antiviral state and limit viral replication and spreading1–4. Here, SOAT1 is linked to infection.