CHAMP1 premature termination codon mutations found in individuals with intellectual disability cause a homologous recombination defect through haploinsufficiency.

CHAMP1 (chromosome alignment-maintaining phosphoprotein 1) plays a role in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination (HR). The CHAMP1 gene is one of the genes mutated in individuals with intellectual disability. The majority of the mutations are premature termination codon (PTC) mutations, while missense mutations have also been reported.

CHAMP1-POGZ counteracts the inhibitory effect of 53BP1 on homologous recombination and affects PARP inhibitor resistance.

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair-pathway choice regulated by 53BP1 and BRCA1 contributes to genome stability. 53BP1 cooperates with the REV7-Shieldin complex and inhibits DNA end resection to block homologous recombination (HR) and affects the sensitivity to inhibitors for poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) in BRCA1-deficient cells. Here, we show that a REV7 binding protein, CHAMP1 (chromosome alignment-maintaining phosphoprotein 1), has an opposite function of REV7 in DSB repair and promotes HR through DNA end resection together with POGZ (POGO transposable element with ZNF domain).