All PVS have the potential to encode shorter E2 forms that contain the C-terminal domain, the hinge region and a 10–13 residue peptide from an upstream ORF. These E2 fusion proteins are encoded by spliced messages that link sequences from an alternative reading frame in the E1 region of the genome (desig- nated E8) to the C-terminus of E2. These proteins have been alternatively named E84E2, E84E2C, E14E2, E1M4E2 and E94E2, and are shown in Fig. 1A. Invariably, the shorter forms of E2 function as repressors of viral transcription and replication.