Evolutionary conservation analysis reveals a primordial function of STING as a regulator of lipid metabolism via FADS2
STING is a well-known activator of type I interferon (IFN-I) responses. However, it is debated whether STING has an ancestral function independent of interferon responses. Here, by combining evolutionary comparative analysis and lipidomics, the authors show that STING homologs regulate polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism via FADS2 and that this primordial STING-mediated metabolic control
STING is a well-known activator of type I interferon (IFN-I) responses. However, it is debated whether STING has an ancestral function independent of interferon responses. Here, by combining evolutionary comparative analysis and lipidomics, the authors show that STING homologs regulate polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism via FADS2 and that this primordial STING-mediated metabolic control regulates responses to viral infections independently of antiviral IFN-I signaling.