Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain of Bombyx mori chorion b-ZIP transcription factor and similar bZIP domains
Bombyx mori chorion b-ZIP transcription factor, is encoded by the Cbz gene. The bZIP structural motif contains a basic region and a leucine zipper, composed of alpha helices with leucine residues 7 amino acids apart, which stabilize dimerization with a parallel leucine zipper domain. Dimerization of leucine zippers creates a pair of the adjacent basic regions that bind DNA and undergo conformational change. Dimerization occurs in a specific and predictable manner resulting in hundreds of dimers having unique effects on transcription.