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. 1993 May 15;90(10):4436–4440. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.10.4436

Changing Epstein-Barr viral ZEBRA protein into a more powerful activator enhances its capacity to disrupt latency.

R Baumann 1, E Grogan 1, M Ptashne 1, G Miller 1
PMCID: PMC46526  PMID: 8389449

Abstract

The Epstein-Barr viral transcriptional activator ZEBRA induces expression of viral early lytic genes when introduced into cells bearing latent Epstein-Barr virus. We show here that a ZEBRA-herpes simplex viral protein 16 (VP16) fusion protein induces early viral lytic gene expression in Epstein-Barr virus-containing cells more efficiently than does wild-type ZEBRA. The fusion protein is also a more powerful transcriptional activator in these cells, as assayed with reporter constructs. Our experiments also suggest that ZEBRA manifests a function required for full activity on certain natural promoters but not on promoters bearing oligomerized ZEBRA binding sites; this function cannot be provided by VP16.

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