Polycomb group (PcG) protein. Component of the PRC2/EED-EZH2 complex, which methylates ‘Lys-9’ and ‘Lys-27’ of histone H3, leading to transcriptional repression of the affected target gene. Also recognizes ‘Lys-26’ trimethylated histone H1 with the effect of inhibiting PRC2 complex methyltransferase activity on nucleosomal histone H3 ‘Lys-27’, whereas H3 ‘Lys-27’ recognition has the opposite effect, enabling the propagation of this repressive mark. The PRC2/EED-EZH2 complex may also serve as a recruiting platform for DNA methyltransferases, thereby linking two epigenetic repression systems. Genes repressed by the PRC2/EED-EZH2 complex include HOXC8, HOXA9, MYT1 and CDKN2A.
