A study showed that histone H2B interacted with IFI16 (gamma-interferon-inducible protein 16) and BRCA1 in the nucleus, and viral infections such as EBV, KSHV and HSV-1 induced the cytoplasmic distribution of H2B-IFI16 and H2B-BRCA1 complexes via Ran-GTP protein. Here, RAN is linked to viral infectious disease.