The Regulatory Network of Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase-Stimulator of Interferon Genes Pathway in Viral Evasion

FIGURE 1. cGAS-STING pathway in virus invasion. After virus infection, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) senses the viral DNA to synthesize cyclic GMP-AMPs (cGMPs) and activate stimulator of interferon genes (STING) to recruit TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and IκB kinase (IKK), and then interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) are induced to translocate into the nucleus and generate the production of IFN-I-β and inflammatory factors. IFN-I-β conducts Janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway activation and initiates interferon-stimulated genes transcription.

FIGURE 2. Viral proteins induced evasion strategies by restricting the cGAS-STING axis. Several reported viral proteins dysregulate different checkpoints in the cGAS-STING pathway, such as invalidating the enzyme activity of cGAS or TBK1, obstructing STING activation, altering the modifications of key components. The corresponding viral proteins and their species are labeled in bold.