Automated description from the Alliance of Genome Resources (Release 7.0.0)
Enables DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase activity, acting on CpG substrates and DNA binding activity. Involved in negative regulation of gene expression, epigenetic. Acts upstream of or within several processes, including epigenetic regulation of gene expression; negative regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II; and retrotransposon silencing by DNA methylation-dependent heterochromatin formation. Located in chromosome, centromeric region and nucleus. Part of heterochromatin. Is expressed in several structures, including alimentary system; brain; early conceptus; genitourinary system; and hemolymphoid system. Used to study immunodeficiency-centromeric instability-facial anomalies syndrome 1. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in several diseases, including autoimmune disease (multiple); carcinoma (multiple); facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy 4; immunodeficiency-centromeric instability-facial anomalies syndrome 1; and thymoma. Orthologous to human DNMT3B (DNA methyltransferase 3 beta).