ICP0 induces the degradation of chaperone proteins of histone H3.3 including interferon gamma inducible protein 16 (IFI16) and alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX), resulting in attenuation of epigenetic silencing of viral genes (Jurak et al., 2012; Orzalli et al., 2012, 2015; Cuchet-Lourenco et al., 2013). Here, IFI16 is linked to alpha thalassemia-X-linked intellectual disability syndrome.