Mutational analysis of the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 by far-Western blotting and DNA-binding studies.

We have previously shown by far-Western blotting that the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2) both binds to a cellular protein of 130 kDa and histone H1, with the complex between EBNA-2 and p130 being tighter than between EBNA-2 and histone H1. Here we demonstrate that the N terminus of EBNA-2, which was previously shown to be necessary for transformation of B lymphocytes by EBNA-2, is essential for binding to p130. We further show data indicating that the binding of EBNA-2 to histone H1 appears not to be mediated exclusively via the basic Arg-Gly rich region in the C-terminal part of EBNA-2. With a MAb directed against the Trp-Trp322-Pro (WWP) motif of EBNA-2, which is known to be essential for the interaction of EBNA-2 with the cellular factor RBPJkappa/CBF1, we could inhibit the DNA binding of EBNA-2, providing further evidence that this region of EBNA-2 forms direct contact with RBPJkappa/CBF1.