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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Double-Stranded RNA and Pattern Recognition Receptors in Negative-Sense RNA Virus Infection
Published on: January 26, 2019
Viral sensors: diversity in pathogen recognition
Stephen A McCartney1, Marco Colonna
1Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Abstract:
Innate sensors of viral infection detect viral products and initiate the signal cascades that lead to the antiviral response. Several proteins have been identified to play a role in this process, mostly members of the Toll-like receptor and retinoic acid-inducible gene I-like receptor families. These receptors have been demonstrated to function in part by recognizing a diverse yet unique repertoire of nucleic acid substrates. Upon recognition of their ligands, these sensors activate distinct signaling pathways that lead to the secretion of type I interferon and inflammatory cytokines. It remains to be seen, however, if these sensors are redundant or whether each serves a unique function. In this work, we review the current knowledge of viral sensors, speculate on how they may function in vivo, and explore the potential reasons for their diversity.
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