Understanding the functions of BRCA1 in the DNA-damage response.
Inheritance of a mutation in BRCA1 (breast cancer 1 early-onset) results in predisposition to early-onset breast and ovarian cancer. Tumours in these individuals arise after somatic mutation or loss of the wild-type allele. Loss of BRCA1 function leads to a profound increase in genomic instability involving the accumulation of mutations, DNA breaks and gross chromosomal rearrangements. Accordingly, BRCA1 has been implicated as an important factor involved in both the repair of DNA lesions and in the regulation of cell-cycle checkpoints in response to DNA damage. However, the molecular mechanism through which BRCA1 functions to preserve genome stability remains unclear. In the present article, we examine the different ways in which BRCA1 might influence the repair of DNA damage and the preservation of genome integrity, taking into account what is currently known about its interactions with other proteins, its biochemical activity and its nuclear localization.
Division of Protein and Nucleic Acids Chemistry, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK. mhy26@cam.ac.uk
Maximina H
MH
Yun
Kevin
K
Hiom
D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D056488:Histone Chaperones; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000378:metabolism*
D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C468783:H2AX protein, human; D056488:Histone Chaperones; D006657:Histones; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C466234:UIMC1 protein, human; C102449:BARD1 protein, human; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases