This gene is a member of the myeloid/lymphoid or mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) family and encodes a protein with an N-terminal PHD zinc finger and a central SET domain. Overexpression of the protein inhibits cell cycle progression. Alternate transcriptional splice variants have been characterized. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].
Function: Histone methyltransferase that specifically mono- and dimethylates 'Lys-4' of histone H3 (H3K4me1 and H3K4me2). H3 'Lys-4' methylation represents a specific tag for epigenetic transcriptional activation. Key regulator of hematopoiesis involved in terminal myeloid differentiation and in the regulation of hematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) self-renewal by a mechanism that involves DNA methylation. Plays an essential role in retinoic-acid-induced granulopoiesis by acting as a coactivator of RAR-alpha (RARA) in target gene promoters. Also acts as an important cell cycle regulator, participating in cell cycle regulatory network machinery at multiple cell cycle stages. Required to suppress inappropriate expression of S-phase-promoting genes and maintain expression of determination genes in quiescent cells. Overexpression inhibits cell cycle progression, while knockdown induces cell cycle arrest at both the G1 and G2/M phases.