double-stranded RNA-dependent Protein Kinase, interferon-induced, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase isoform a, protein kinase, interferon-inducible double stranded RNA dependent, interferon-inducible elF2alpha kinase, double stranded RNA activated protein kinase, p68 kinase, eIF-2A protein kinase 2, P1/eIF-2A protein kinase, protein kinase RNA-activated, interferon-inducible RNA-dependent protein kinase, EIF2AK1, MGC126524, PKR, PRKRv, E2AK2_HUMAN.
Following activation by double-stranded RNA in the presence of ATP, the kinase becomes autophosphorylated and can catalyze the phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor EIF2S1, which leads to an inhibition of the initiation of protein synthesis. Double-stranded RNA is generated during the course of a viral infection.