PPHLN1

RNA-binding component of the HUSH complex, a multiprotein complex that mediates epigenetic repression of mobile genetic elements, such as retroviruses and transposable elements. The HUSH complex mainly represses LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons that are still capable of transposition. The HUSH complex is recruited to genomic loci rich in H3K9me3 and is probably required to maintain transcriptional silencing by promoting recruitment of SETDB1, a histone methyltransferase that mediates further deposition of H3K9me3, as well as MORC2, a chromatin remodeler that compacts chromatin. The HUSH complex is also involved in the silencing of unintegrated retroviral DNA: some part of the retroviral DNA formed immediately after infection remains unintegrated in the host genome and is transcriptionally repressed. Within the HUSH complex, PPHLN1 acts as a mRNA-binding component, which specifically binds nascent transcripts of mobile genetic elements, enabling HUSH-dependent silencing of transcripts. Contributes to the maintenance of the HUSH complex at chromatin. As part of the HUSH2 complex, promotes epigenetic repression of interferon-stimulated genes. May be involved in epithelial differentiation by contributing to epidermal integrity and barrier formation..

Function from UniProtKB (Q8NEY8), read 2026-09-23. CC BY 4.0.