STING1 and infection: In response to pathogen infection, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) binds cytoplasmic, pathogen-derived DNA to generate cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), which binds to stimulator of interferon genes (STING), leading to co-recruitment of TBK1 and IRF3/7 promoting the activity of these transcription factors [2].