Twist in the tail: Regulation of BRCA1 for Replication Fork Protection.

The role of proteins that are central to RAD51 loading in homologous recombination are also important in the protection of stalled replication forks from degradation by nucleases. Many of these act to promote RAD51 accumulation on single-stranded DNA that is exposed. Evidence that protection of replication forks is more than a form of RAD51-loading is emerging. Here Prof Morris will discuss recent work revealing the regulation of BRCA1 in replication fork protection and how it differs from that in promoting recombination in HR. The work also raises questions about the role of fork protection in cancer predisposition.