Nucleotide sequence of a transactivating Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus immediate early gene

The open reading frame (ORF) of 1572 bp contained in the 3.8 kb ClaI fragment of BmNPV encodes a viral regulatory protein which transactivates the delayed early AcMNPV 39K gene. Transactivation is induced in uninfected cells following transfection with a plasmid containing only the ClaI fragment. Hitherto immediate early gene promoter activity of the included 631 bp leader sequence is evident since no other viral elements are needed for the transcription of the regulatory gene.