helix-loop-helix
helix-loop-helix noun: a structural motif where two alpha helices are connected by a highly flexible amino acid loop, allowing the helices to pack together. Usually requires forming a dimer with another HLH protein before binding DNA.
Noun
helix-loop-helix (plural helix-loop-helices, abbreviation HLH)
- A structural motif where two alpha helices are connected by a highly flexible amino acid loop, allowing the helices to pack together. Usually requires forming a dimer with another HLH protein before binding DNA.
Forms of helix-loop-helix
| plural | helix-loop-helices |
|---|---|
| abbreviation | HLH |
Origin of helix-loop-helix
From helix + loop + helix. The term got its name from its distinct physical geometry; two alpha helices separated and connected by a flexible chain of amino acids known as a "loop", allowing the helices to pack together tightly.
Questions about helix-loop-helix
- What does helix-loop-helix mean?
- Helix-loop-helix means a structural motif where two alpha helices are connected by a highly flexible amino acid loop, allowing the helices to pack together. Usually requires forming a dimer with another HLH protein before binding DNA.
- What part of speech is helix-loop-helix?
- Helix-loop-helix is a noun.
- What is the plural of helix-loop-helix?
- The plural of helix-loop-helix is helix-loop-helices.
Words near helix-loop-helix in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: helix-loop-helix (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this entry: “helix-loop-helix.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/helix-loop-helix. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.