ZAD mediates chromatin binding and insulator activity of Drosophila Pita and can be replaced with the human ZFP276 ZAD-like domain

ZAD is critical for the insulator activity of Pita and its ability to efficiently bind to specific genomic regions. The human ZFP276 ZAD-like domain may function similarly to the ZAD of Pita, raising the question of why ZADs spread in insects but not in mammals.