mSphere of Influence: Damage in RNA virus infection—a feature or a bug?

Katherine C. Barnett studies cell death and damage in viral infections, focusing on how these processes activate innate immunity and shape viral pathogenesis. In this mSphere of Influence article, she highlights how the work of Aguirre et al. (Nat Microbiol 2:17037, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.37 ) changed her perception of how RNA viruses interact with pattern recognition receptors and how later the work of Wang et al. (Nature 616:152–158, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05851-w ) shaped her concept of cell death in viral infections. Framing these findings in different models of pathogen detection by the innate immune system, she reflects on how her understanding of the role of damage in RNA virus infection has evolved throughout her career.