Is leucine zipper a protein motif?

A leucine zipper (or leucine scissors) is a common three-dimensional structural motif in proteins. The bZIP domain is 60 to 80 amino acids in length with a highly conserved DNA binding basic region and a more diversified leucine zipper dimerization region.

Is leucine a zipper transcription factor?

Basic-region leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins are one of the largest transcription factor families that regulate a wide range of cellular functions. Owing to the stability of their coiled coil structure leucine zipper (LZ) domains of bZIP factors are widely employed as dimerization motifs in protein engineering studies.

What is the function of the leucine zipper?

The Leucine Zipper and the Basic DNA-Binding Domain (bZIP) This leucine zipper facilitates the dimerization of the protein by interdigitation of two leucine containing helices on different molecules and these residues form the buried subunit interface of the coiled-coil dimer.

What holds a leucine zipper together?

Leucine zipper–basic domain interaction. Hydrophobic interactions between the leucine-rich helices hold the two subunits together.

Why is DNA bound to basic proteins?

DNA-binding proteins are proteins that have DNA-binding domains and thus have a specific or general affinity for single- or double-stranded DNA. Sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins generally interact with the major groove of B-DNA, because it exposes more functional groups that identify a base pair.

What do DNA binding motifs do?

The DNA binding proteins have a specific folding pattern which is made of repeated nucleotide sequences called as DNA binding motifs. These motifs permit the binding of DNA binding proteins such as transcription factors to the target sequence. It is composed of recognition region and stabilization region.

Is DNA binding protein in equal?

Within chromosomes, DNA is held in complexes with structural proteins. These proteins organize the DNA into a compact structure called chromatin. In eukaryotes, this structure involves DNA binding to a complex of small basic proteins called histones.

Is leucine zipper a protein motif? A leucine zipper (or leucine scissors) is a common three-dimensional structural motif in proteins. The bZIP domain is 60 to 80 amino acids in length with a highly conserved DNA binding basic region and a more diversified leucine zipper dimerization region. Is leucine a zipper transcription factor? Basic-region leucine…