CTCF and infection: However, Cp is hypermethylated and silent in latency I and II infection, Qp is active, and only EBNA1 is expressed during latency I. The silencing of the EBV genome facilitates immune evasion in latently infected cells through DNA methylation, while Qp remains unmethylated to support the latent state, which is probably also supported by the binding of chromatin insulator protein CTCF that prevents the encroachment of CpG methylation at the Qp initiation site.