Role of the Rad52 amino-terminal DNA binding activity in DNA strand capture in homologous recombination.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad52 protein promotes homologous recombination by nucleating the Rad51 recombinase onto replication protein A-coated single-stranded DNA strands and also by directly annealing such strands. We show that the purified rad52-R70A mutant protein, with a compromised amino-terminal DNA binding domain, is capable of Rad51 delivery to DNA but is deficient in DNA annealing. Results from chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments find that rad52-R70A associates with DNA double-strand breaks and promotes recruitment of Rad51 as efficiently as wild-type Rad52.

Interaction with RPA is necessary for Rad52 repair center formation and for its mediator activity.

Homologous recombination (HR) is a major DNA repair pathway and therefore essential for maintaining the integrity of the genome. HR is catalyzed by proteins encoded by genes of the RAD52 epistasis group, including the recombinase Rad51 and its mediator Rad52. HR proteins fused with green fluorescent protein form foci at damaged DNA reflecting the assembly of repair centers that harbor a high concentration of repair proteins.

Rad52 multimerization is important for its nuclear localization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Rad52 is essential for all homologous recombination and DNA double strand break repair events in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This protein is multifunctional and contains several domains that allow it to interact with DNA as well as with different repair proteins. However, it has been unclear how Rad52 enters the nucleus.