In addition to encoding enzymes and proteins directly involved in replicating the viral genome, herpes simplex virus also encodes thymidine kinase and ribonucleotide reductase, which are absolutely required for infection of neurons.Which of the following explains what role these proteins play?

A) They phosphorylate cellular proteins, which force the neuron into S phase.
B) They increase the pool of nucleotide triphosphates required for DNA replication.
C) They phosphorylate the tegument proteins before they are packaged into the virion.
D) They cleave the concatemers of the viral DNA as they are being packaged into capsids.
E) They help assemble the DNA replication complex on the viral origin.