STING has been proposed to function as a direct DNA sensor for cyclic dinucleotides generated by cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) (Burdette et al., 2011; Ablasser et al., 2013) or an adaptor protein that is activated by several DNA sensors including interferon-gamma-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) and DExD/H-box helicase 41 (DDX41) upon infection with DNA viruses such as herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), human papillomavirus (HPV), adenovirus and HCMV (reviewed in Ma and Damania, 2016). The gene discussed is IFI16; the disease is infection.