Zinc-finger proteins contain DNA-binding domains and have a wide variety of functions, most of which encompass some form of transcriptional activation or repression. PHF21A (PHD finger protein 21A), also known as BRAF35-HDAC complex protein BHC80, is a 680 amino acid nuclear protein that contains one PHD-type zinc finger and one A.T hook DNA-binding domain, suggesting involvement in transcriptional regulation events. PHF21A is a component of the BHC complex, which is responsible for repressing transcription of neuron-specific genes in non-neuronal cells. The BHC complex acts as a chromatin modifier that deacetylates and demethylates specific sites on histones. PHF21A may act as a scaffold within the BHC complex. Predominantly expressed in brain, three isoforms of PHF21A exist as a result of alternative splicing events.
