The bZIP motif is characterized by a leucine zipper domain that mediates dimerization and a basic domain that contacts DNA. A series of transition metal dimerization domains were used to alter systematically the relative orientation of basic domain peptides. Both the affinity and the specificity of the peptide-DNA interaction depend on domain orientation. These results indicate that the precise configuration linking the domains is important; dimerization is not always sufficient for DNA binding. This approach to studying the effect of orientation on protein function complements mutagenesis and could be used in many systems.