Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase SUV39H1 (SUV39H1)

Histone methyltransferase that especially trimethylates'Lys-9' of histone H3 with monomethylated H3'Lys- 9' as substrate. Also weakly methylates histone H1 (in vitro).

H3 'Lys-9' trimethylation represents a specific tag for epigenetic transcriptional repression by recruiting HP1 (CBX1, CBX3 and/or CBX5) proteins to methylated histones. Mainly functions in heterochromatin regions, thereby playing a central role in the establishment of constitutive heterochromatin at pericentric and telomere regions.