IFNB1 and infection: In order to first identify the time-point during the course of infection that was most critical for the optimal synthesis of IFN-β, Bm1.1 OE cells were infected with C. muridarum at 10 IFU /ml, the supernatants were harvested from the cells at various time points post-infection, and ELISA was used for measuring the amount of IFN-β synthesized up till that time (0-Xh).