RAD51 Like Protein 3 (RAD51L3)

The S. cerevisiae gene RAD51, which encodes a protein related to the ATP-binding E. coli RecA protein, is critical for DNA repair and meiotic recombination. Homologs of this gene have been identified in several species, including mouse and human.The mouse cDNA, Rad51d, isolated by screening EST databases with yeast RAD55 and human RAD51B amino acid sequences, encodes a predicted 329-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 35,260 Da. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of multiple transcripts of the Rad51d gene in all tissues examined. Southern analysis of genomic DNA from 7 mammalian species demonstrated that the RAD51D gene is conserved. The deduced 328-amino acid protein contains both A and B nucleotide-binding motifs and shares 83% sequence identity with the mouse protein.