Interaction of hRad51 and hRad52 with MCM complex: A cross-talk between recombination and replication proteins

Human Rad51 and Rad52 are implicated in DNA repair during replication. Here we show, by pull-down assays, that purified hRad51 and hRad52 interact with each other as well as with Mini chromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins in HeLa cell extracts. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation experiments corroborate the same where hRad51 and hRad52 proteins not only cross-talk with each other but also pull down MCM3 and MCM2/3 proteins, respectively. The interaction scoring assays, performed reciprocally, demonstrate the same specificity, based on which, we speculate that MCM complex exhibits strong propensity to get physically recruited to the sites where hRad51 and hRad52-mediated homologously aligned ends need to be replicationally repaired.