Interacts with centromeric heterochromatin in chromosomes and binds to a specific 17 bp subset of alphoid satellite DNA, called the CENP-B box. May organize arrays of centromere satellite DNA into a higher-order structure which then directs centromere formation and kinetochore assembly in mammalian chromosomes. Antiparallel homodimer. Interacts with CENPT. Identified in a centromere complex containing histones H2A, H2B and H4, and at least CENPA, CENPB, CENPC, CENPT, CENPN, HJURP, SUPT16H, SSRP1 and RSF1. Poly-ADP-ribosylated by PARP1. N-terminally methylated by METTL11A/NTM1. Alpha-N-methylation is stimulated in response extracellular stimuli, including increased cell density and heat shock, and seems to facilitate binding to CENP-B boxes. Chromatin-bound CENP-B is primarily trimethylated (By similarity).