Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain of General control protein GCN4: a DNA-binding and dimerization domain
GCN4 was identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae from mutations in a deficiency in activation with the general amino acid control pathway. GCN4 encodes a trans-activator of amino acid biosynthetic genes containing 2 acidic activation domains and a C-terminal bZIP domain. In amino acid-deprived cells, GCN4 is up-regulated leading to transcriptional activation of genes encoding amino acid biosynthetic enzymes. bZIP factors act in networks of homo and heterodimers in the regulation of a diverse set of cellular processes. The bZIP structural motif contains a basic region and a leucine zipper, composed of alpha helices with leucine residues 7 amino acids apart, which stabilize dimerization with a parallel leucine zipper domain. Dimerization of leucine zippers creates a pair of the adjacent basic regions that bind DNA and undergo conformational change. Dimerization occurs in a specific and predictable manner resulting in hundreds of dimers having unique effects on transcription.
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