Zinc-dependent transcriptional regulator of cellular adaption to conditions of exposure to heavy metals (PubMed:8065932). Binds to metal responsive elements (MRE) in promoters and activates the transcription of metallothionein genes like metallothionein-2/MT2A (PubMed:8065932). Also regulates the expression of metalloproteases in response to intracellular zinc and functions as a catabolic regulator of cartilages (By similarity). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q07243, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8065932}. This is the function of ENSG00000188786 (MTF1, metal regulatory transcription factor 1).