EIF2A and infection: eIF2α, a critical translation initiation factor, is phosphorylated and inactivated by eIF2α kinase thus translation is inhibited to thwart the production of viral polypeptides.55,56 Thus, eIF2α phosphorylation and its kinase are regarded as sentinel host defense molecules that hold infection and hastily draw the viral lifecycle to an unnatural end.56 Many viruses encode antagonists to inhibit PERK pathway for a productive infection.