EIF2AK2 and viral infectious disease: Gadd34 recruits PP1a to the endoplasmic reticulum where it dephosphorylates eIF2α, and is therefore essential in maintaining protein synthesis during viral infection[22, 21] Herpesviruses have evolved mechanisms to counteract both PKR activation via Us11 expression, and eIF2α phosphorylation through ICPγ34.5 expression.