RIG‐I recruits a CARD‐containing adaptor mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein, mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS, also known as IPS‐1, VISA or CARDIF), a mitochondrial integral outer‐membrane anchored protein with 540 amino acids.[6] MAVS rapidly forms very large aggregates on the mitochondrial membrane upon viral infection, activating the cytosolic kinases IKK and serine/threonine‐protein kinase (TBK1), which consequently phosphorylate the transcription factors nuclear factor NF‐kappa‐B (NF‐κB) and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), respectively. This evidence concerns the gene TBK1 and viral infectious disease.