The BTB domain (Broad-Complex, Tramtrack and Bric a brac) is also known as the POZ domain (POxvirus and Zinc finger). It is a homodimerization domainoccurring at the N terminus of proteins containing multiple copies of eitherzinc fingers of the C2H2 type or Kelch repeats [1, 2]. Many BTB proteins are transcriptional regulators that are thought to act through the control of chromatin structure.

The structure of the BTB domain of the promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger(PLZF) protein has been determined by X-ray crystallography and reveals atightly intertwined dimer with an extensive hydrophobic interface [3]. A surface-exposed groove lined with conserved amino acids is formed at the dimer interface, suggesting a peptide-binding site.

1. The BTB domain, found primarily in zinc finger proteins, defines an evolutionarily conserved family that includes several developmentally regulated genes in Drosophila. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91, 10717-21
2. The POZ domain: a conserved protein-protein interaction motif. Genes Dev. 8, 1664-77
3. Crystal structure of the BTB domain from PLZF. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95, 12123-8

The BTB domain (Broad-Complex, Tramtrack and Bric a brac) is also known as the POZ domain (POxvir
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