The transcriptional activity of an in vitro assembled human interferon-beta gene enhanceosome is highly synergistic. This synergy requires five distinct transcriptional activator proteins (ATF2/c-JUN, interferon regulatory factor 1, and p50/p65 of NF-kappaB), the high mobility group protein HMG I(Y), and the correct alignment of protein-binding sites on the face of the DNA double helix.