RAD51C

RAD51 homolog C (S. cerevisiae), also known as RAD51C, is a is_associated_with::protein which in humans is encoded by the RAD51C is_associated_with::gene.

Function
This gene is a member of the RAD51 family of related genes, which encode strand-transfer proteins thought to be involved in is_associated_with::recombinational repair of damaged DNA and in meiotic recombination. This gene product interacts with two other DNA repair proteins, encoded by is_associated_with::RAD51B and is_associated_with::XRCC3, but not with itself. The protein copurifies with XRCC3 protein in a complex, reflecting their endogenous association and suggesting a cooperative role during recombinational repair. This gene is one of four localized to a region of chromosome 17q23 where amplification occurs frequently in breast tumors. Overexpression of the four genes during amplification has been observed and suggests a possible role in tumor progression. is_associated_with::Alternative splicing has been observed for this gene and two variants encoding different isoforms have been identified.

Clinical significance
A characteristic of many cancer cells is that parts of some genes contained within these cells have been recombined with other genes. One such gene fusion that has been identified in a is_associated_with::MCF-7 breast cancer cell line is a chimera between the RAD51C and ATXN7 genes. Since the RAD51C protein is involved in repairing double strand chromosome breaks, this chromosomal rearrangement could be responsible for the other rearrangements.

Interactions
RAD51C has been shown to interact with:
 * is_associated_with::RAD51L1,
 * is_associated_with::RAD51L3, and
 * is_associated_with::XRCC2,  and
 * is_associated_with::XRCC3.