Zinc finger transcription factor which acts as both a transcriptional activator and repressor (PubMed:23911329, PubMed:30956009). Binds to the promoters of genes that contain the 5'-CTTATCA-3' DNA consensus sequence in their regulatory region (PubMed:23911329, PubMed:31532389). Functions downstream of the Insulin/IGF-1-like signaling (IIS) mediated pathway (PubMed:23911329, PubMed:27401555). Involved in normal development, lifespan, stress response, lipid metabolism, innate immunity and exit from the developmentally arrested larval state known as dauer (PubMed:23911329, PubMed:27401555, PubMed:29949773, PubMed:31532389, PubMed:33009389). Required for stress-induced expression of hsp-90 and resistance to heat stress, perhaps as part of a systemic stress signaling pathway (PubMed:29949773). Involved in maintenance of proteostasis (PubMed:29949773). Under hypoxic stress increases lipid levels by positively regulating fatty acid synthesis via fat-7 expression (PubMed:33009389). Associates with homeobox protein ceh-60 at the promoters of some stress-responsive genes to regulate expression; may require phosphorylation for transcriptional repression activity (PubMed:30956009). Acts downstream of nhr-14 to activate transcription of intestinal metal transporter smf-3, modulating innate immunity and iron uptake (PubMed:31532389). May act downstream of the mTORC2 signaling mediated pathway (PubMed:27401555). May act in a mutually exclusive manner with the FOXO transcription factor daf-16 (PubMed:23911329, PubMed:27401555). Interacts with ceh-60. Nuclear localization under normal conditions, cytoplasmic as a result of heat-stress (PubMed:23911329). Nuclear localization declines over normal lifespan (PubMed:23911329). Exposure to Gram-negative bacterium P.aeruginosa enhances nuclear localization (PubMed:31532389). Hypoxic stress enhances nuclear localization (PubMed:33009389). Expressed in intestinal cells from larval through to adult stages (PubMed:23911329). Expressed in neurons during L1 larval stage (PubMed:29949773). Induced by paraquat, a chemical causing production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). RNAi-mediated knockdown on a daf-2 mutant background shortens lifespan substantially, by up to 45%, but does not alter lifespan on a daf-16 mutant or wild-type background (PubMed:23911329). Knockdown activates vitellogenesis on either lin-29, rict-1 or sgk-1 mutant backgrounds, but not on daf-2 mutants (PubMed:27401555). Reduced expression of metal transporter smf-3 on an nhr-14 mutant background (PubMed:27401555). Enhanced sensitivity to P.aeruginosa infection on an nhr-14 mutant background (PubMed:31532389). Belongs to the krueppel C2H2-type zinc-finger protein family.