THAP Domain Containing, Apoptosis Associated Protein 1 (THAP1)

THAP1 contains a THAP domain, a conserved DNA-binding domain. This protein colocalizes with the apoptosis response protein PAWR/PAR-4 in promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies, and functions as a proapoptotic factor that links PAWR to PML nuclear bodies. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been observed.THAP domain is a zinc-dependent DNA-binding module. Both the isolated THAP domain and full-length THAP1 bound an 11-nucleotide consensus sequence containing a core GGCA motif that was essential for THAP binding. Alanine substitution experiments revealed that the C2CH signature (cys5, cys10, cys54, and his57) and 4 additional conserved residues (pro26, trp36, phe58, and pro78) within the THAP domain were required for DNA binding.