LEUCINE ZIPPER Meaning and
Definition
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A leucine zipper refers to a specific protein structural motif that plays a crucial role in DNA binding and regulation of gene expression. It is a protein dimerization domain that consists of a repeating pattern of leucine residues along the protein chain, forming a coiled-coil structure.
The leucine zipper gets its name from the amino acid leucine, which is frequently found at every seventh position within the repeating leucine residues. This pattern is essential for the stability of the coiled-coil structure and the dimerization process.
In this motif, the leucine residues from one protein chain interdigitate with the leucine residues from another protein chain, resulting in a strong and stable interaction between the two chains. This interaction allows the leucine zipper to bind to specific DNA sequences, either alone or in combination with other proteins, and regulate the transcription of target genes.
Leucine zippers are commonly found in DNA-binding proteins, including transcription factors and other regulatory proteins. Their ability to interact with DNA is critical for the precise control of gene expression, as they can activate or inhibit the transcription process through their binding to specific DNA sequences.
Overall, the leucine zipper is an important protein motif that contributes to the regulation of gene expression, making it a significant target for research in genetics and molecular biology.
Common Misspellings for LEUCINE ZIPPER
- keucine zipper
- peucine zipper
- oeucine zipper
- lwucine zipper
- lsucine zipper
- lducine zipper
- lrucine zipper
- l4ucine zipper
- l3ucine zipper
- leycine zipper
- lehcine zipper
- lejcine zipper
- leicine zipper
- le8cine zipper
- le7cine zipper
- leuxine zipper
- leuvine zipper
- leufine zipper
- leudine zipper
- leucune zipper
Etymology of LEUCINE ZIPPER
The word "leucine zipper" is a scientific term used to describe a structural motif found in proteins. Its etymology can be broken down as follows:
1. Leucine: term "leucine" comes from the Greek word "leukos", meaning "white". Leucine is one of the 20 standard amino acids that make up proteins. It was named after its colorless crystals.
2. Zipper: term "zipper" refers to a fastening device used to join two edges by interlocking metal or plastic teeth. In the context of the "leucine zipper", it analogously describes the way two protein chains interact and interlock with each other to form a stable structure.
The term "leucine zipper" was coined by Aaron Klug and Francis Crick in 1987 to describe a specific dimerization motif found in the DNA-binding proteins known as transcription factors.
