BZLF1 (ZEBRA, Zta) Protein of Epstein-Barr Virus Selected in a Yeast One-Hybrid System by Binding to a Consensus Site in the IgH Intronic Enhancer: A Role in Immunoglobulin Expression?

Abstract

We have used a yeast one hybrid screen to search for factors interacting with a subsegment of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) intronic enhancer. The 51 bp enhancer segment harbored a so-called E-box and an octamer site, known to bind helix-loop-helix transcription factors and Oct factors, respectively. Mammalian Oct-2A protein was also expressed in yeast, to select for transcription factors possibly cooperating with Oct-2. Six strongly interacting protein clones were selected from a peripheral blood lymphocyte library. These included a B cell-specific co-activator, termed Bob1, that directly binds to Oct-2 (Gstaiger et al., 1995, Nature 373, 360-362). Three further clones represent the ..