The phosphorylation status of MCRIP1 functions as a molecular switch to regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Unphosphorylated MCRIP1 binds to and inhibits the transcriptional corepressor CTBP(s). When phosphorylated by MAPK/ERK, MCRIP1 releases CTBP(s) resulting in transcriptional silencing of the E-cadherin gene and induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (PubMed:25728771).