IFNB1 and infection: Furthermore, pigeon RIG-I had a stronger ability to induce IFN-β production in MDA5-siRNA transfected DF-1 cells compared with the negative control group during the ZB07/IBDV infection or mock-treatment, which implies that MDA5 competitively binds the downstream protein of the RLR signaling pathway but the pigeon RIG-I has stronger antiviral activity than MDA5.