Identification of a domain of the herpes simplex virus trans-activator Vmw65 required for protein-DNA complex formation through the use of protein A fusion proteins.

In order to identify structural domains of the herpes simplex virus trans-activator Vmw65 required for protein-DNA complex formation, subfragments of Vmw65 were expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion polypeptides with protein A of Staphylococcus aureus, and the purified hybrids were used in a band shift assay. The results indicate that a region near the amino terminus of Vmw65 between amino acids 141 and 185 is necessary for complex formation.