A BIOFUNCTIONAL BACULOVIRUS HOMOLOGOUS REGION (HR1) SEQUENCE - ENHANCER AND ORIGIN OF REPLICATION FUNCTIONS RESIDE WITHIN THE SAME SEQUENCEELEMENT

Analysis of the synergy between transcription regulation and DNA repli cation as well as the mechanisms of enhancer action has been of intere st to us, Our studies an the Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) have revealed that the viral homol ogous region sequence, hr1, can function as an enhancer of polyhedrin promoter-driven transcription as well as an origin of DNA replication in transfected host insect cells. Minimal sequence requirements for ba th these activities of hr1 have been delineated. A host factor that in teracts at multiple sites within hr1 has also been implicated in the e nhancer function of this sequence. While demonstrating the dual functi on of hr1, our observations also indicate the importance of host facto r(s) in regulating crucial processes in the viral infection circle.