Zinc Finger Protein 217 (ZNF217) is an 1000-residue candidate oncoprotein belonging to the Kruppel-like family of transcription factors (1). It contains 7 C2H2 zinc fingers (ZF) which present as two clusters on the N-terminal half of the protein (2). The second cluster (ZNF217_F67) spanning across amino acids 467-523, consists of two ZFs; F6 and F7. The binding of this two finger domain to DNA is amplified in many cancers and hence shows promise as a target for gene therapy. (1). The model above is adapted from the PDB model 4IS1 and represents a crystal structure of ZNF217_F67 bound to 20-bp oligonucleotide (3). The depiction begins by showing one mechanism by which ZNF217 can act as an oncogenic factor in its repression of common tumor suppressor genes. This will be followed by a look into the motifs and domains of the ZNF217_F67, the stabilizing interactions between the F67 unit and DNA and finally the structural importance of the zinc cofactor.
Color code: N = Dark blue, O = Red, S = Orange, C = Variable
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