The most likely candidates we know of today are BSH genes. BSH stands for bile salt hydrolase. Bacteria with these genes can convert bile salts. But what do bile salts have to do with cholesterol? The answer is in the name. Cholesterol comes from the Greek words chole (bile) and stereos (solid). Cholesterol was first discovered in gall stones. Bile, which is stored in the gall bladder, is the body’s transport medium for fats and cholesterol.
