The DM domain is named after dsx and mab-3 [1]. dsx contains a single amino-terminal DM domain, whereas mab-3 contains two amino-terminal domains. The DM domain has a pattern of conserved zinc chelating residues C2H2C4 [2]. The dsx DM domain has been shown to dimerise and bind palindromic DNA [3].

1: Evidence for evolutionary conservation of sex-determining genes. Raymond CS, Shamu CE, Shen MM, Seifert KJ, Hirsch B, Hodgkin J, Zarkower D; Nature 1998;391:691-695. PMID:9490411

2: The Drosophila doublesex proteins share a novel zinc finger related DNA binding domain. Erdman SE, Burtis KC; EMBO J 1993;12:527-535. PMID:8440242

3: Functional and genetic characterization of the oligomerization and DNA binding properties of the Drosophila doublesex proteins. Erdman SE, Chen HJ, Burtis KC Genetics 1996;144:1639-1652. PMID:8978051