Leucine Zipper Protein 1 (LUZP1)

Luzp, encoding a 1,067-amino acid protein with 3 leucine zipper motifs. Western blot analyses indicated that Luzp is predominantly expressed in brain, whereas immunocytochemical data showed its presence in the nucleus of neurons.

Mutagenesis studies support the notion that leucine zipper motifs are required for homo- and/or heterodimerization of FOS and JUN, which then leads to proper juxtaposition of an adjacent basic domain present in both proteins before sequence-specific DNA binding. Leucine zipper motifs are also present in other types of proteins lacking the basic motif. They have been implicated as negative transcription regulators by forming a nonfunctional heterodimeric complex with those transcriptional factors containing the basic domains.