The function of ENSG00000204371 (EHMT2, euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 2) is as follows. Histone methyltransferase that specifically mono- and dimethylates 'Lys-9' of histone H3 (H3K9me1 and H3K9me2, respectively) in euchromatin. H3K9me represents a specific tag for epigenetic transcriptional repression by recruiting HP1 proteins to methylated histones (PubMed:11316813, PubMed:20084102). Also mediates monomethylation of 'Lys-56' of histone H3 (H3K56me1) in G1 phase, leading to promote interaction between histone H3 and PCNA and regulating DNA replication (PubMed:22387026). Also weakly methylates 'Lys-27' of histone H3 (H3K27me) (PubMed:11316813). Also required for DNA methylation, the histone methyltransferase activity is not required for DNA methylation, suggesting that these 2 activities function independently. Probably targeted to histone H3 by different DNA-binding proteins like E2F6, MGA, MAX and/or DP1. Also able to mono- and dimethylate histone H1-4 at 'Lys-26' (H1.4K26me1 and H1.4K26me2, respectively) (PubMed:19144645). In addition to the histone methyltransferase activity, also methylates non-histone proteins: mediates dimethylation of 'Lys-373' of p53/TP53 (PubMed:20118233). Also methylates CDYL, WIZ, ACIN1, DNMT1, HDAC1, ERCC6, KLF12 and itself (PubMed:18438403). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q9Z148, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11316813, ECO:0000269|PubMed:12004135, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18438403, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19144645, ECO:0000269|PubMed:20084102, ECO:0000269|PubMed:20118233, ECO:0000269|PubMed:22387026}.