Homeodomain-containing proteins function as transcription factors that typically switch on cascades of other genes. Usually homeodomain proteins act in the promoter region of their target genes as complexes with other transcription factors, leading to much higher target specificity than a single homeodomain protein. HOMEZ (Homeobox and leucine zipper protein) is a 525 amino acid nuclear protein that contains 3 atypical homeodomains, 2 leucine zipper-like motifs, proline and serine-rich motifs and an acidic domain. Within homeodomain 2, it contains a putative nuclear localization signal. HOMEZ shares significant sequence similarity with mouse ZHX1 and sequences that are homologous to HOMEZ are restricted to vertebrates. Likely functioning as a transcription regulator, HOMEZ is ubiquitously expressed with highest levels found in in ovary, testis, kidney, fetal lung and kidney.