The protein encoded by this gene is a histone methyltransferase that methylates the Lys-4 position of histone H3. The encoded protein is part of a large protein complex called ASCOM, which has been shown to be a transcriptional regulator of the beta-globin and estrogen receptor genes. Mutations in this gene have been shown to be a cause of Kabuki syndrome. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2010]