CHIME EXERCISES

The two structures below are both representative of the Cys₂-His₂ Zinc Finger motif. In both of the structures, note:

• The secondary structure : a 2-stranded antiparallel b-sheet and one a-helix. 

• Also, note where the portions of the secondary structure interact with the DNA through hydrogen bonding with bases and phosphate groups

• A hydrophobic core consisiting of 3 hydrophobic amino acids (which ones?)

• In 1A1F: note the three fingers and how they curl around the DNA strand.  Each finger contacts 3 successive 3-bp sites