InterPro domain: IPR026085

Activating transcription factor 7-interacting protein (MCAF) family consists of MCAF1 and MCAF2 [ 1 ].

MCAF1 (also known as MBD1-containing chromatin-associated factor 1) is a recruiter that couples transcriptional factors to general transcription apparatus and thereby modulates transcription regulation and chromatin formation. It can both act as an activator or a repressor depending on the context [ 2 , 3 ].

MCAF2 might be involved in the transcription modulation during gonad development [ 4 ].

1. Transcriptional repression and heterochromatin formation by MBD1 and MCAF/AM family proteins. J. Biol. Chem. 280, 13928-35
2. A murine ATFa-associated factor with transcriptional repressing activity. Oncogene 19, 1807-19
3. mAM facilitates conversion by ESET of dimethyl to trimethyl lysine 9 of histone H3 to cause transcriptional repression. Mol. Cell 12, 475-87
4. PSM2, a novel protein similar to MCAF2, is involved in the mouse embryonic and adult male gonad development. Mol. Biol. Rep. 33, 159-66