In higher vertebrates, there are mainly three well-known mechanisms by which inhibition of protein synthesis is induced during virus infections: (1) through the activation of the interferon inducible, dsRNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR); (2) through the activation of the PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK); and 3) through factors associated with the induction of apoptosis. This evidence concerns the gene EIF2AK2 and viral infectious disease.