In article <E406Iu.C9C at gpu.utcc.utoronto.ca>, lamoran at gpu.utcc.utoronto.ca
(L.A. Moran) wrote:
> This request brings up another issue that might be worth discussing. Should
> these DNA binding regions be referred to as "domains" or "motifs"?
> .....................
> If it's really a
> distinct "domain" then most of those who responded have not been helpful
> since they have concentrated on "motifs".
Actually, the homeodomain is a real domain by any criterion you choose.
Although only sixty amino acids, fold and unfold reversibly, have
well-defined tertiary structures with Tm values above physiological
temperatures, etc. (In fact, we've shown that a 51 amino fragment of the
homeodomain is structurally very similar to the full-length homeodomain,
though it can't bind DNA because its missing the N-terminal DNA binding
tail)
--
Neil Clarke
neil.clarke at qmail.bs.jhu.edu
