The protein encoded by this gene is a transcription factor that includes several Kruppel-like zinc fingers in its C-terminal region. It possesses both activation and repression domains, and it can therefore have both positive and negative effects on the transcription of target genes. This gene has an intronless coding region, and it appears to have arisen by retrotransposition of the related YY1 transcription factor gene, which is located on chromosome 14.