BAHD1 acts as a co-repressor by interacting with a set of proteins that promote chromatin compaction and regulate transcription.[7][8] Tandem-affinity purification of the BAHD1-associated protein complex in human HEK293 cells identified MIER proteins (MIER1, MIER2, MIER3), histone deacetylase HDAC1 and HDAC2, histone H3K9 methyltransferase EHMT2, heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1 alpha, HP1 beta, HP1 gamma), MBD1, TRIM28 and CDYL as partners of BAHD1.[8] Overexpression of BAHD1 in HEK293 cells induces large-scale chromatin condensation [7] and DNA methylation on autosomes.[9] The C-terminal BAH domain of BAHD1 acts as a reader for the epigenetic mark H3K27me3.[10] Ectopically expressed BAHD1 colocalizes with the heterochromatic inactive X chromosome (Xi).[7][9]
