S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent histone methyltransferase that specifically methylates ‘Lys-9’ of histone H3. May function as a DNA-binding transcription factor. Binds to the macrophage-specific TPA-responsive element (MTE) of the HMOX1 (heme oxygenase 1) gene and may act as a transcriptional activator of this gene.
