The lymphoid-specific transcription factor Oct-2a contains two transcriptional activation domains which are located within the N-terminal and C-terminal regions. To study their differential activation properties, we linked the isolated effector domains to the GAL4 DNA-binding domain. We have shown that both activating regions of Oct-2a, isolated from their natural context, can activate transcription as promoter factors. In contrast to the C-terminus, activation by the N-terminal domain is dependent on a yet unidentified factor(s) binding to the simian virus 40 enhancer. The results obtained by duplication of activation domains or their mixed combination suggest that the domains are functionally independent. However, activation from a remote position could only be achieved with the C-terminus of Oct-2a in B cells. In lymphoid cells, higher activation levels were observed, suggesting that distinct B-cell-specific cofactors in concert with the effector domains of Oct-2a might be involved in mediating transcription from proximal and remote positions. Furthermore, we identified a repression domain at the N-terminus of Oct-2a. When transferred to a potent activator, transcriptional stimulation was inhibited efficiently. These results underscore the modular structure of Oct-2a with separable domains for activation and repression and suggest that Oct-2a might have complex regulatory functions in vivo.