The BRCA2 gene provides instructions for making a protein that acts as a tumor suppressor. Tumor suppressor proteins help prevent cells from growing and dividing too rapidly or in an uncontrolled way.
The BRCA2 protein is involved in repairing damaged DNA. In the nucleus of many types of normal cells, the BRCA2 protein interacts with several other proteins to mend breaks in DNA. These breaks can be caused by natural and medical radiation or other environmental exposures, and they also occur when chromosomes exchange genetic material in preparation for cell division. By helping to repair DNA, the BRCA2 protein plays a critical role in maintaining the stability of a cell’s genetic information.
Researchers suspect that the BRCA2 protein has additional functions within cells. For example, the protein may help regulate cytokinesis, which is the step in cell division when the fluid surrounding the nucleus (the cytoplasm) divides to form two separate cells. Researchers are investigating the protein’s other potential activities.
Other Names
brca 2 gene; BRCA2_HUMAN; BRCC2; breast cancer 2; breast cancer 2 gene; breast cancer 2, early onset; breast cancer 2, early onset gene; breast cancer type 2 susceptibility gene; breast cancer type 2 susceptibility protein; FACD; FAD; FAD1; FANCB; FANCD1
Related Genetics Topics
- Breast cancer — MedlinePlus Genetics
- Fanconi anemia — MedlinePlus Genetics
- Prostate cancer — MedlinePlus Genetics
- Ovarian cancer — MedlinePlus Genetics
- Cholangiocarcinoma — MedlinePlus Genetics
Identifiers
- NCBI Gene: 675
- OMIM: 600185
- OMIM: 605724
Source: MedlinePlus Genetics, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
