The domain of a protein refers to a conserved structural or functional motif that is stable and folds independently of the rest of the protein chain. Domains can be shared among different proteins and are encoded by genes in gene families or superfamilies.
The domain of a protein refers to a conserved structural or functional motif. It is an element of the protein's overall structure that is stable and often folds independently of the rest of the protein chain. Domains can be shared among different proteins and are encoded by members of evolutionarily related genes comprising gene families or superfamilies. The name of a domain often reflects its prominent biological function or the discoverer of the domain.