The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) immediate-early region 2 86-kDa protein (IE2 86) is the major transactivator of the promoter for the 2.2-kb class of early RNAs (open reading frame UL 112-113). Previously, we reported that a DNA segment on this promoter between nucleotides (nt) -113 and -59 was critical for activation by IE2 86 in vivo and could be bound by IE2 86 in vitro (R. Schwartz, M. H. Sommer, A. Scully, and D. H. Spector, J. Virol. 68:5613-5622, 1994). With a set of site-specific mutations within nt -84 to -61, we have localized the essential cis-acting sequences to nt -72 to -61, which contain an ATF/CREB-binding site. The IE2 86-binding site between nt -113 and -85 is not essential for activation of the promoter by IE2 86 in transient-expression assays, but its presence can enhance the level of activation mediated through the sequences located between nt -84 and -59. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with a segment containing nt -84 to -59 and nuclear extracts from human cells permissive for the HCMV infection revealed a complex band pattern. However, by supershift analysis with specific antibodies, we were able to identify CREB as the major ATF/CREB family member in the protein-DNA complexes. Further evidence that CREB is a target for IE2 86-mediated induction, is provided by the finding that IE2 86 activates the somatostatin promoter to high levels. Although the binding of IE2 86 to nonphosphorylated full-length CREB or deltaCREB is minimal, IE2 86 does form complexes with p300 and the CREB-binding protein (CBP), which in turn bind to CREB and can serve as adaptor proteins for CREB function. In addition, the in vivo functional relevance of the interaction between IE2 86 and CBP is indicated by the ability of IE2 86 to enhance transcriptional activation mediated by a GAL4-CBP fusion protein brought to a promoter by GAL4-binding sites.