PRDM6, PFM3, Putative histone-lysine N-methyltransferase PRDM6, PR domain zinc finger protein 6, PR domain-containing protein 6

Putative histone methyltransferase that acts as a transcriptional repressor of smooth muscle gene expression. Promotes the transition from differentiated to proliferative smooth muscle by suppressing differentiation and maintaining the proliferative potential of vascular smooth muscle cells. Also plays a role in endothelial cells by inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. It is unclear whether it has histone methyltransferase activity in vivo. According to some authors, it does not act as a histone methyltransferase by itself and represses transcription by recruiting EHMT2/G9a. According to others, it possesses histone methyltransferase activity when associated with other proteins and specifically methylates 'Lys-20' of histone H4 in vitro. 'Lys-20' methylation represents a specific tag for epigenetic transcriptional repression (By similarity).