The protein encoded by this gene is a member of a family of nuclear proteins related by the presence of a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD). These proteins are capable of binding specifically to methylated DNA, and some members can also repress transcription from methylated gene promoters. This protein contains multiple domains: MBD at the N-terminus that functions both in binding to methylated DNA and in protein interactions; several CXXC-type zinc finger domains that mediate binding to non-methylated CpG dinucleotides; transcriptional repression domain (TRD) at the C-terminus that is involved in transcription repression and in protein interactions. Numerous alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been noted for this gene.