Upon activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, activated caspase-1 cleaves GSDMD to form GSDMD-N, which binds to phosphatidylinositol phosphates and phosphatidylserine in the inner leaflet of the cell membrane to induce the formation of membrane pores [8, 9], triggering pyroptosis during various bacterial infections, including infections with E. coli, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus [10–13]. The gene discussed is GSDMD; the disease is infection.