IFI16, a cytosolic and nuclear protein, is associated with induction of IFN-α and IFN-β on stimulation with single-stranded and double-stranded DNA4, 5, 6 and by infection with different herpesviruses7, 8, 9, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)5 and bacterial infections such as Listeria and Francisella10, 11. This evidence concerns the gene IFNB1 and infection.