What is a Motif?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a motif as, “a usually recurring salient thematic element”. If we transfer this definition to the biological realm, motifs are basically recurring short sequence elements. Their over-representation usually implies some functional significance. We see motifs everywhere in biological sequences. Some common examples are the TATA box for RNA polymerase binding, the KDEL endoplasmic reticulum sorting signal, and the SPxK/R cyclin-dependent kinase recognition motif.
