Both the rightward and the leftward open reading frames within the BamHI M DNA fragment of Epstein-Barr virus act as trans-activators of gene expression.

The BamHI M DNA fragment of Epstein-Barr virus was shown to activate transcription of the cotransfected chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene under the control of the simian virus 40 early promoter. Both the BamHI-BglII and the HindIII-BamHI subfragments of the BamHI M fragment, corresponding to the rightward reading frame BMRF1 and the leftward reading frame BMLF1, respectively, had the ability to activate transcription from the simian virus 40 promoter. The trans-activating function was well correlated with the expression of nuclear early antigens, which suggests that early antigens encoded by BMRF1 and BMLF1 are responsible for trans-activation and possibly play a role in regulated expression of virus genomes.