The Varicella-Zoster Virus Immediate-Early 62 Promoter Contains a Negative Regulatory Element That Binds Transcriptional Factor NF-Y

Abstract

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) immediate-early (IE) open reading frame 62 (ORF62) promoter sequence contains a CCAAT box, located between positions -117 and -113. Mutation of this motif resulted in a five-fold increase of promoter activity. In mobility shift assays, we demonstrated that NF-Y, a CCAAT box-binding protein critical for the expression of diverse eukaryotic genes, binds to this motif. Thus, the VZV IE ORF62 promoter contains a negative regulatory element that binds the ubiquitous transcriptional factor NF-Y. © 1995 Academic Press, Inc.