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====The Leucine Zipper====
====The Leucine Zipper====


The leucines themselves come on every other level of the alpha helix and do not actually interchange one over the other like a zipper, but instead make side to side contact. This was noted in 1990 due to the symmetric nature of the two subunits. If the leucines showed interdigitation the subunits would be asymmetric <ref>10.1021/bi00464a001</ref>
The leucines themselves come on every other level of the alpha helix and do not actually interchange one over the other like a zipper, but instead make side to side contact. This was noted in 1990 due to the symmetric nature of the two subunits. If the leucines showed interdigitation the subunits would be asymmetric <ref>10.1021</ref>


The Leucine Zipper of GCN4, as expected, operates under a specific pH. It has been shown that at lower pH values the zipper will reversibly protenate and open up, losing its hydrophobic stability. Researchers are looking into this opening and closing reaction as a form of nano-tweezers. <ref name="ph"/>  
The Leucine Zipper of GCN4, as expected, operates under a specific pH. It has been shown that at lower pH values the zipper will reversibly protenate and open up, losing its hydrophobic stability. Researchers are looking into this opening and closing reaction as a form of nano-tweezers. <ref name="ph"/>