Maintaining ignorance to self-nucleic acids can prevent inflammatory diseases such as Aicardi–Goutières syndrome (AGS). A new study finds that mutations in LSM11 and RNU7-1, which encode components of the histone messenger RNA–preprocessing complex, cause AGS by loosening the binding of cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS) to nucleosomes, thus enabling cGAS activation and induction of type I interferons.
- Fiachra Humphries
- Katherine A. Fitzgerald
