Leucine Zippers

**Definition:** DNA-binding motifs formed from two alpha-helixes which intertwine for about eight turns into a coiled coil and then bifurcate to form Y shaped structures. Leucines occurring in heptad repeats end up on the same sides of the helixes and are adjacent to each other in the stem of the Y (the zipper region). The DNA-binding residues are located in the bifurcated region of the Y.

**Tree numbers:** - G02.111.570.820.709.275.500.520