The PDZ domain is a common structural domain of 80-90 amino-acids found in the signaling proteins of bacteria, yeast, plants, viruses and animals. PDZ is an acronym combining the first letters of three proteins — post synaptic density protein (PSD95), Drosophila disc large tumor suppressor (Dlg1), and zonula occludens-1 protein (zo-1) — which were first discovered to share the domain. PDZ domains have previously been referred to as DHR (Dlg homologous region) or GLGF (glycine-leucine-glycine-phenylalanine) domains. These domains help anchor transmembrane proteins to the cytoskeleton and hold together signaling complexes.
In general PDZ domains bind to a short region of the C-terminus of other specific proteins. These short regions bind to the PDZ domain by beta sheet augmentation. This means that the beta sheet in the PDZ domain is extended by the addition of a further beta strand from the tail of the binding partner protein.
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