Cep3 is one of the major components of the CBF3. It dimerises and in so doing forms a large central channel that is large enough to accommodate duplex B-form DNA. The dimerisation region is followed by a linker to the zinc-finger domain at the C-terminus. The CBF3 complex is an essential core component of the budding yeast kinetochore and is required for the centromeric localisation of all other kinetochore proteins. Cep3 is the only component with DNA-binding properties [1].

1: Insights into kinetochore-DNA interactions from the structure of Cep3Delta. Purvis A, Singleton MR; EMBO Rep. 2008;9:56-62. PMID:18064045