Inositol-requiring protein 1α (IRE1α), commonly associated with cellular responses to infections or inflammation, is also implicated in ER-mitochondrial calcium transfer and regulation of mitochondrial respiration through association with IP3R on the ER membrane (Son et al., 2014; Carreras-Sureda et al., 2019) or sigma-1 receptor (σ-1R) in the ER lumen (Mori et al., 2013). The gene discussed is ERN1; the disease is infection.