Two related but differentially expressed potential membrane proteins encoded by the EcoRI Dhet region of Epstein-Barr virus B95-8.

Three mRNAs in the EcoRI Dhet region of Epstein-Barr virus B95-8 were mapped. Their 3' ends are coterminal. A latent gene containing three exons is transcribed from the ED-L1 promoter and was predicted to lead to expression of a 42-kilodalton protein. An unspliced late mRNA is produced by transcription from the ED-L1A promoter within the first intron of the above gene and was predicted to lead to expression of a 28-kilodalton protein corresponding to the C-terminal two-thirds of the 42-kilodalton protein. Both proteins would have hydrophobic N-terminal domains and highly acidic C-terminal domains and were predicted to span the cell membrane. An early promoter (ED-L2) is located in the 3' untranslated region of the above genes and was predicted to lead to expression of a 6.5-kilodalton polypeptide containing a C-terminal hydrophobic region.