cec-4 is an ortholog of human CBX1 (chromobox 1), CBX5 (chromobox 5) and CBX3 (chromobox 3); CEC-4 is required for the perinuclear anchoring of chromatin methylated on histone H3 Lysine 9 (H3K9) in embryos; the CEC-4 chromodomain is 42% identical to human CBX1 (chromobox 1) chromodomain and CBX5 (chromobox 5) chromodomain; CEC-4 has a large C-terminal domain that does not have homology to other known proteins; it has no chromoshadow domain, and no hinge domain and is therefore not a homolog of HP1; CEC-4-tagged version is expressed in all developmental stages of the worm life cycle, and it is localized to the inner nuclear membrane, positioned between nuclear pores; CEC-4 binds all methylated forms of H3K9 with similar affinities in in vitro assays; cec-4(ok3124) allele supports normal development and does not affect fertility.
Enables methylated histone binding activity. Involved in chromosome attachment to the nuclear envelope; regulation of cell differentiation; and regulation of gene expression. Located in nuclear inner membrane. Expressed in germ cell and somatic cell.
Map position created from combination of previous interpolated map position (based on known location of sequence) and allele information. Therefore this is not a genetic map position based on recombination frequencies or genetic experiments. This was done on advice of the CGC.