TBK1 and influenza: During influenza virus infection, the RIG-I (retinoic acid inducible gene I) receptor senses influenza genomic RNA and recruits the mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) to induce the phosphorylation, dimerization, and nuclear translocation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), which finally induces the production of type I interferons [12–14].