Stress-responsive chromatin regulator that plays a role in various biological processes including innate immunological memory, adipocyte differentiation or telomerase regulation. In absence of stress, contributes to the formation of heterochromatin and heterochromatin-like structure by recruiting histone H3K9 tri- and di-methyltransferases thus silencing the transcription of target genes such as STAT1 in adipocytes, or genes involved in innate immunity in macrophages and adipocytes (By similarity). Stress induces ATF7 phosphorylation that disrupts interactions with histone methyltransferase and enhances the association with coactivators containing histone acetyltransferase and/or histone demethylase, leading to disruption of the heterochromatin-like structure and subsequently transcriptional activation (By similarity). In response to TNF-alpha, which is induced by various stresses, phosphorylated ATF7 and telomerase are released from telomeres leading to telomere shortening. Plays also a role in maintaining epithelial regenerative capacity and protecting against cell death during intestinal epithelial damage and repair (By similarity).