title: BRCA1 in breast and ovarian cancer predisposition.
abstract: Women carrying one mutated BRCA1 allele are at increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer but tumor initiation requires the loss of the wild-type allele indicating that it is a tumor suppressor gene. In the 10 years since the cloning of BRCA1, a function for the gene product in the DNA damage response has been established. However, identifying the exact biochemical activities of BRCA1 has been a more difficult task. Our current understanding suggests that the molecular functions mediated by the terminal ends of BRCA1, which include an E3 ubiquitin ligase activity at the N-terminus and a protein-protein interaction surface at the C-terminus, are critical to the function of this protein in the response to DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, St John's University, Jamaica, NY 11439, USA.
authors.forename: Blase
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Billack
authors.forename: Alvaro N A
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000737:chemistry; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1 / Q000502:physiology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D025801:Ubiquitin