CGAS and infection: In addition, the cGAS inhibitor of KHSV (hereafter kicGAS), encoded by ORF52, binds to dsDNA through self-oligomerization and forms liquid droplets upon binding to DNA, inhibiting DNA-induced phase separation and activity of cGAS.254,255 Infection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus induces the release of mitochondrial DNA into the cytoplasm, which activates IFN-I signaling through cGAS-STING signaling.256,257 However, the virus’s nucleocapsid protein competitively binds to G3BP1 with cGAS and inhibits the formation of the cGAS-G3BP1 primary condensate, reducing the DNA recognition ability of cGAS.