A conserved cysteine cluster, essential for transcriptional activity, mediates homodimerization of human metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1)

►Transcription factor MTF-1 requires dimerization for metal-induced activity. ►Dimerization is mediated by a cysteine cluster that is conserved among vertebrates. ►Copper ions stabilize dimer formation via intermolecular disulfide bond formation.