TBK1 and infection: Upon infection, the pathogenic nucleic acids can be detected by a variety of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which then transmit these “danger signals” through STING-TBK1 and MAVS-TBK1 axes to activate the hub transcription factors NF-kB and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), thereby allowing these transcription factors to translocate into the nucleus and turn on the gene expressions of type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines.