Zinc coordination scheme for the C-terminal zinc binding site of nuclear hormone receptors
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Structure and Coordination Determination of Peptide-metal Complexes Using 1D and 2D 1H NMR
Published on: December 16, 2013
J Zilliacus1, K Dahlman-Wright, J Carlstedt-Duke
1Department of Medical Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, NOVUM, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
Abstract:
The DNA-binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor contains two zinc ions which are important for the structure and function of the protein. The zinc ions are tetrahedrally coordinated by cysteine residues within the DNA-binding domain. The DNA-binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor, as well as of the other nuclear hormone receptors, contains nine highly conserved cysteine residues. It has not been clearly established which of these nine cysteine residues are involved in the coordination of zinc. Two models have been proposed for the zinc coordination scheme. We present evidence in favour of the model which excludes the most C-terminal cysteine residue (Cys-481 of the human glucocorticoid receptor) from the zinc coordination scheme. Mutation of this residue in the context of the glucocorticoid receptor DNA-binding domain expressed in E. coli does not significantly reduce the structural integrity of the protein or its DNA-binding properties. These in vitro results are also confirmed by in vivo transactivation assays in yeast.
Related Concept Videos
Intracellular Hormone Receptors
Coordination Number and Geometry
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Conserved Binding Sites
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally analyses the...
Co-activators and Co-repressors
Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:

