Hells - helicase, lymphoid specific

Enables chromatin binding activity. Involved in DNA methylation-dependent heterochromatin assembly; maintenance of DNA methylation; and pericentric heterochromatin assembly. Acts upstream of or within several processes, including DNA methylation; cellular response to leukemia inhibitory factor; and negative regulation of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway. Located in nucleus and pericentric heterochromatin. Is expressed in several structures, including central nervous system; gut; neural retina; reproductive system; and thymus. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in immunodeficiency-centromeric instability-facial anomalies syndrome 4. Orthologous to human HELLS (helicase, lymphoid specific). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]