In this study, we determine how HCMV transcriptional regulation differ between late-stage infections of fibroblasts and D-NT2 cells; define the roles of viral (IE2, LTFs, and cis-regulatory elements) and host (P-TEFb) factors in governing RNA Pol II activity and viral promoter function in a cell type-dependent manner; and examine how the extent of viral genome chromatization relates to viral late promoter activity and the structure of the MIEP TBP-nucleosome complex. Here, TBP is linked to infection.