The octamer binding protein Oct-2 inhibits transactivation of the herpes simplex virus immediate-early genes by the virion protein Vmw65.

Transactivation by a complex of the cellular transcription factor Oct-1 and the virion protein Vmw65 is necessary for the high-level activity of the HSV immediate-early promoters during lytic infection. We show that this trans-activation can be inhibited by two forms of the Oct-2 transcription factor which are expressed at high levels in neuronal cells as well as by the isolated DNA binding, POU domain of Oct-2. The inhibition of Oct-1-Vmw65 DNA binding by these neuronal forms of Oct-2 is likely to play a critical role in the nonpermissivity of neuronal cells for the HSV lytic cycle and therefore in the establishment of latent infections.