Innate immune sensing by cGAS-STING in animals reveals unexpected messengers

The DNA sensor cGAS and its adaptor STING constitute an ancient pathogen detection mechanism, but it is unclear to what extent its function is conserved across the animal kingdom. In this issue of Cell, Kranzusch and colleagues identify thousands of cGAS-like receptors and discover networks of second messengers that activate innate immune responses in animals. The DNA sensor cGAS and its adaptor STING constitute an ancient pathogen detection mechanism, but it is unclear to what extent its function is conserved across the animal kingdom. In this issue of Cell, Kranzusch and colleagues identify thousands of cGAS-like receptors and discover networks of second messengers that activate innate immune responses in animals. cGLRs are a diverse family of pattern recognition receptors in innate immunityLi et al.CellJune 27, 2023In BriefThe findings that a multitude of animals, from coral to mammals, encode cGAS-like signaling proteins, which produce an array of nucleotide second messenger signals, suggest that this family of pattern recognition receptors controls complex immune signaling networks that are broadly fundamental to animal innate immunity. Full-Text PDF Open Access