STAT1 and infection: As shown in Fig. 6a, WT and Stat1−/− mice were infected with MCMVΔgLGFP, followed by analysis of lytic infection and latent persistence of the virus respectively at 22 h and 60 days post infection in fibroblastic cells in the spleen, which are known to be directly infected by MCMV virions injected intraperitoneally or intravenously22.