Team:Harvard/Project/Zinc Finger Background

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Overview | Bioinformatics | Chip-Based Library | Plasmid Construction | Selection Strain Engineering | Protocols

What are Zinc Finger Proteins (ZFPs)?

Function

ZFPs are found commonly in nature as a class of special transcription factors that bind to DNA, thus regulating gene expression.

Structure

ZFPs consist of smaller subunits called "fingers" which each contain a zinc finger binding helix that binds to unique DNA sequences. These fingers are linear and linked together by the "zinc finger backbone", a series of approximately 21 amino acids.

  • Cis2His2 ZFPs have three main structural components:
    • Zinc finger binding helix
    • Linker region
    • Zinc ion that is coordinated by two cysteine residues and two histidine residues.


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