May be involved in transcriptional regulation. Expressed in fetal and adult brain. The ZNF713 gene contains a polymorphic CGG-repeat expansion in the non-coding region: 5 to 22 repeats are found in the normal population, most frequently 7. Higher numbers of repeats (50-200 CGG) are considered as premutations, which may affect methylation and cause mitotic instability. A 7p11.2 folate-sensitive fragile site, FRA7A, has been identified in 2 unrelated families diagnosed with an autistic disorder. FRA7A is associated with a CGG-repeat expansion in a ZNF713 5'-intron. In the first family, the expanded allele contained about 450 CGG-repeats. It showed hypermethylation and reduced ZNF713 expression. In the second family, 3 autistic siblings exhibited a heterozygous expansion of about 70 repeats, corresponding to premutations, which were partially or mosaically methylated. Mitotic instability of the premutation was observed in one affected sibling. In this family, ZNF713 tends to be up-regulated. It has been suggested that ZNF713 misregulation in the brain might be involved in the pathogenicity of autistic disorder (PubMed:25196122). Belongs to the krueppel C2H2-type zinc-finger protein family.