BRCA2-RAD51-DSS1 interplay examined from a microbial perspective.

The tumor suppressor BRCA2 plays an essential role in the repair of double-strand DNA breaks by regulating the action of the RAD51 recombinase. The activity of BRCA2 is in turn governed by DSS1, a small acidic protein that appears to function as a necessary cofactor. A model fungal system that reproduces the BRCA2-RAD51 interaction offers the opportunity to understand the mechanism of DSS1 activation at the molecular level.