BZIP domain explained

The Basic Leucine Zipper Domain (bZIP domain) is found in many DNA binding eukaryotic proteins. One part of the domain contains a region that mediates sequence specific DNA binding properties and the leucine zipper that is required to hold together (dimerize) two DNA binding regions. The DNA binding region comprises a number of basic amino acids such as arginine and lysine. Proteins containing this domain are transcription factors.^{[1] [2]}

bZIP transcription factors

bZIP transcription factors are found in all eukaryotes and form one of the largest families of dimerizing TFs.^[3] An evolutionary study from 2008 revealed that 4 bZIP genes were encoded by the genome of the most recent common ancestor of all plants.^[4] Interactions between bZIP transcription factors are numerous and complex ^{[5] [6]} and play important roles in cancer development^[7] in epithelial tissues, steroid hormone synthesis by cells of endocrine tissues,^[8] factors affecting reproductive functions,^[9] and several other phenomena that affect human health.

bZIP domain containing proteins

• AP-1 fos/jun heterodimer that forms a transcription factor
• Jun-B transcription factor
• CREB cAMP response element transcription factor
• OPAQUE2 (O2) transcription factor of the 22-kD zein gene that encodes a class of storage proteins in the endosperm of maize (Zea mays) kernels
• NFE2L2 or Nrf2
• Bzip Maf transcription factors

Human proteins containing this domain

ATF1

ATF2; ATF4; ATF5; ATF6; ATF7; BACH1; BACH2;BATF

BATF2; CEBPA; CEBPB; CEBPD; CEBPE; CEBPG; CEBPZ; CREB1; CREB3; CREB3L1; CREB3L2; CREB3L3; CREB3L4;CREB5

CREBL1; CREM; E4BP4; FOSL1; FOSL2; JUN; JUNB; JUND; MAFA; MAFB; MAFF; MAFG; NRL; C-MAF; MAFK; NFE2

NFE2L2; NFE2L3; SNFT; XBP1

External links

• bZIP domain entry in the SMART database
• bZIP family at PlantTFDB: Plant Transcription Factor Database
• Plant bZIP transcription factors

Notes and References

1. Ellenberger T . Getting a grip in DNA recognition: structures of the basic region leucine zipper, and the basic region helix-loop-helix DNA-binding domains. . Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. . 4 . 1 . 12–21 . 1994. 10.1016/S0959-440X(94)90054-X.
2. Hurst HC . Transcription factors 1: bZIP proteins . Protein Profile . 2 . 2 . 101–68 . 1995 . 7780801 .
3. Amoutzias. Grigoris D.. Robertson. David L.. Van de Peer. Yves. Oliver. Stephen G.. 2008-05-01. Choose your partners: dimerization in eukaryotic transcription factors. Trends in Biochemical Sciences. 33. 5. 220–229. 10.1016/j.tibs.2008.02.002. 0968-0004. 18406148.
4. Corrêa LG, Riaño-Pachón DM, Schrago CG, dos Santos RV, Mueller-Roeber B, Vincentz M . The Role of bZIP Transcription Factors in Green Plant Evolution: Adaptive Features Emerging from Four Founder Genes . PLOS ONE . 3 . 8 . e2944 . 2008 . 18698409 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0002944 . 2492810 . 2008PLoSO...3.2944C . Shiu . Shin-Han. free .
5. Vinson. Charles. Acharya. Asha. Taparowsky. Elizabeth J.. 2006-01-01. Deciphering B-ZIP transcription factor interactions in vitro and in vivo. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Structure and Expression. 1759. 1–2. 4–12. 10.1016/j.bbaexp.2005.12.005. 0006-3002. 16580748.
6. Newman. John R. S.. Keating. Amy E.. 2003-06-27. Comprehensive identification of human bZIP interactions with coiled-coil arrays. Science. 300. 5628. 2097–2101. 10.1126/science.1084648. 1095-9203. 12805554. 2003Sci...300.2097N. 36715183. free.
7. Vlahopoulos SA, Logotheti S, Mikas D, Giarika A, Gorgoulis V, Zoumpourlis V . The role of ATF-2 in oncogenesis . BioEssays . 30 . 4 . 314–27 . April 2008 . 18348191 . 10.1002/bies.20734 . 678541 .
8. Manna PR, Dyson MT, Eubank DW, Clark BJ, Lalli E, Sassone-Corsi P, Zeleznik AJ, Stocco DM . Regulation of steroidogenesis and the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein by a member of the cAMP response-element binding protein family . Mol. Endocrinol. . 16 . 1 . 184–99 . January 2002 . 11773448 . 10.1210/mend.16.1.0759. free .
9. Hoare S, Copland JA, Wood TG, Jeng YJ, Izban MG, Soloff MS . Identification of a GABP alpha/beta binding site involved in the induction of oxytocin receptor gene expression in human breast cells, potentiation by c-Fos/c-Jun . Endocrinology . 140 . 5 . 2268–79 . May 1999 . 10218980 . 10.1210/endo.140.5.6710. free .