Taking it one step at a time in homologous recombination repair.

The individual steps in the process of homologous recombination are particularly amenable to analysis by single-molecule imaging and manipulation experiments. Over the past 20 years these have provided a wealth of new information on the DNA transactions that make up this vital process. Exciting progress in developing new tools and techniques to analyze more complex components, dynamic reaction steps and molecular coordination continues at a rapid pace. Here we highlight recent results and indicate some emerging techniques likely to produce the next stage of advanced insight into homologous recombination. In this and related fields the future is bright.