BRCA2 Enters the Fray

Abstract
Inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene confer an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer on affected individuals. BRCA2 is thought to be important in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks induced by, for example, ionizing radia-tion. In a Perspective, Wilson and Elledge dis-cuss a new structural study (Yang et al.) that provides compelling evidence that BRCA2 is a crucial player in homologous DNA repair.