Encodes a 645-amino acid methylcytosine-binding protein with a PHD domain, two RING finger domains, and an SRA domain that is involved in centromere heterochromatinization. This protein functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase in vitro. The protein has been shown to bind to methylated cytosines of CG, CNG and CNN motifs via its SRA domain but has a preference for the former. It plays a role in the establishment/maintenance of chromatin structure during cell division and is localized in the nucleus. Plants over-expressing VIM1/ORTH2 show an inhibition in root growth and a delay in flowering. Both over-expression of GFP:ORTH2 and loss of ORTH2/VIM1 lead to decreased levels of DNA methylation. GFP:ORTH2 over-expressers also have increased levels of FWA transcripts.
