Knockdown of SRP14 negatively affected translation of Tat and Tat‐mediated transactivation, which led to an increase in latent infection (BFP+ expression), while the knockdown of HMGB3 resulted in an increase in Tat transactivation and translation as well as an increase in productive infection (EGFP+BFP+/mCherry+ expression). This evidence concerns the gene SRP14 and disease arising from reactivation of latent virus.