A promoter for the highly spliced EBNA family of RNAs of Epstein-Barr virus.

A transcription start for the highly spliced EBNA group of RNAs in B95-8 cells has been identified in the short unique region of the virus genome. This promoter is used in many (but not all) human cell lines carrying Epstein-Barr virus, including a tightly latent human lymphoblastoid cell line. Another promoter for the EBNA RNAs was described previously in the internal repeat region of the virus genome. The existence of these alternative promoters may be important for differential control of EBNA gene expression.