Acts as a negative regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway required for anterior neural structure formation (PubMed:15108311,PubMed:11113207). Ectopic expression induces ventralization(PubMed:15108311,PubMed:11113207). Binds preferentially to DNA containing cytidine-phosphate-guanosine (CpG) dinucleotides over CpH (H=A, T, and C), hemimethylated-CpG and hemimethylated-hydroxymethyl-CpG (By similarity). Expressed in neural tissues at the neurula stage, and in the restricted region of the tadpole brain. The CXXC zinc finger mediates binding to CpG-DNA.