Enables chromatin binding activity and histone deacetylase inhibitor activity. Acts upstream of or within several processes, including animal organ development; negative regulation of transmembrane receptor protein serine/threonine kinase signaling pathway; and regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II. Located in cytoplasm and nucleus. Part of transcription repressor complex. Is expressed in embryo; forelimb bud; and forelimb interdigital region. Orthologous to human SKI (SKI proto-oncogene). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]