# RAD51

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/rad51/  
OnCo record `rad51` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

RAD51 (DNA repair protein RAD51 homolog 1) is an enzyme. The public catalogues list it as a DNA repair gene, and the evidence so far is association rather than a proven role. Tied to Breast cancer.

## Summary

Homologous DNA recombinase that catalyses strand exchange, a key step in DNA repair through homologous recombination (HR). Binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) in an ATP-dependent manner to form nucleoprotein filaments which are essential for the homology search and strand exchange. Catalyses the recognition of homology and strand exchange between homologous DNA partners to form a joint molecule between a processed DNA break and the repair template.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.73 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes genetic literature 0.61, affected pathway 0.87, literature 0.99, genetic association 0.70, somatic mutation 0.49).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: RAD51 recombinase; DNA repair protein RAD51 homolog 1; HsRad51; HsT16930; BRCC5; FANCR; RAD51A
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: RAD51
- Class: enzyme
- Biology: Homologous DNA recombinase that catalyses strand exchange, a key step in DNA repair through homologous recombination (HR). Binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) in an ATP-dependent manner to form nucleoprotein filaments which are essential for the homology search and strand exchange. Catalyses the recognition of homology and strand exchange between homologous DNA partners to form a joint molecule between a processed DNA break and the repair template. RAD51 targeting to ssDNA promotes removal of replication protein-A (RPA) from ssDNA and stabilisation of RAD51-ssDNA filaments by blocking ATP hydrolysis. Nucleosomal DNA is peeled from the histone surface by the RAD51 filament. Recruited to resolve stalled replication forks during replication stress. Location: Chromosome; Nucleus; Cytoplasm; Cytoplasm, perinuclear region (UniProt). Locus 15q15.1 (HGNC).
- Where found: Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.64 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254)

## Notes

- Written by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts from CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC and UniProt; the function text is UniProt's, condensed and in UK spelling. Roles: UniProt keyword "DNA repair". Evidence tier "association-only" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:9817: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:9817
- UniProt Q06609: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q06609/entry
- NCBI Gene 5888: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/5888
- Ensembl ENSG00000051180: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000051180

## Connected records

- collections: [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/)
- pathways: [Double-strand break repair: HR versus end joining](https://onco.cc/pathways/homologous-recombination-repair/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/rad51.json