This process relies on the sensing of virus infection or replication products by dedicated pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which initiate a signalling cascade that leads to local disassembly of nucleosomes and activation of transcription factors including interferon regulatory factors (IRF) 3 and -7 [22,23], which are master regulators of type-I IFNs (IFN-α/β). Here, IFNA1 is linked to viral infectious disease.