The GCM motif is a domain that has been identified in proteins belonging to a family of transcriptional regulators involved in fundamental developmental processes which comprise Drosophila melanogaster GCM and its mammalian homologues (human GCM1 and GCM2).

[1][2][3][4] In GCM transcription factors the N-terminal moiety contains a DNA-binding domain of 150 amino acids.

In contrast, the C-terminal moiety contains one or two transactivating regions and is only poorly conserved.

The GCM motif has been shown to be a DNA binding domain that recognises preferentially the nonpalindromic octamer 5'-ATGCGGGT-3'.

The GCM domain exercises a novel mode of sequence-specific DNA recognition, where the five-stranded beta-pleated sheet inserts into the major groove of the DNA.