DMC1 Gene

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DMC1 Gene

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DMC1 Gene

<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">dmc1</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Feature</td>
<td>Details</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Symbol</td>
<td>DMC1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Full Name</td>
<td>DNA Meiotic Recombinase 1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chromosomal Location</td>
<td>22q13.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">NCBI Gene ID</td>
<td>11144</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ensembl ID</td>
<td>ENSG00000101339</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Size</td>
<td>340 amino acids</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Molecular Weight</td>
<td>~37 kDa</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">1 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>

Overview

DMC1 is a human gene. This page covers the gene's normal function, disease associations, expression patterns, and key research findings relevant to neurodegeneration. [@yang2005]

...

DMC1 Gene

<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">dmc1</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Feature</td>
<td>Details</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Symbol</td>
<td>DMC1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Full Name</td>
<td>DNA Meiotic Recombinase 1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chromosomal Location</td>
<td>22q13.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">NCBI Gene ID</td>
<td>11144</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ensembl ID</td>
<td>ENSG00000101339</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Size</td>
<td>340 amino acids</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Molecular Weight</td>
<td>~37 kDa</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">1 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>

Overview

DMC1 is a human gene. This page covers the gene's normal function, disease associations, expression patterns, and key research findings relevant to neurodegeneration. [@yang2005]

DMC1 (DNA Meiotic Recombinase 1) encodes a key recombinase enzyme essential for homologous recombination during meiosis and the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The DMC1 protein belongs to the Rad51 recombinase family and plays a critical role in maintaining genomic integrity through accurate DNA strand invasion and exchange during recombination [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1330584/). While primarily studied in the context of meiosis, DMC1's involvement in DNA repair pathways has significant implications for understanding neurodegeneration, as defective DNA repair is a hallmark of multiple neurodegenerative disorders [2](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25448606/). [@cejka2010]

Gene Overview

The DMC1 gene spans approximately 12 kb and consists of 13 exons. It encodes a recombinase protein that catalyzes the exchange of DNA strands during homologous recombination, a process essential for the repair of double-strand breaks and the maintenance of genomic stability [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1330584/). The protein is expressed predominantly in testis but is also expressed at lower levels in other tissues including brain, where it participates in DNA repair [3](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11242053/). [@hirai2015]

Molecular Function

Homologous Recombination

DMC1 mediates the central reaction of homologous recombination: the invasion of a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecule into a homologous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) molecule to form a joint molecule (JM) intermediate [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1330584/). This process involves: [@parker2005]

ssDNA binding: DMC1 assembles on ssDNA to form a nucleoprotein filament

Homology search: The filament searches for homologous sequences in the genome

Strand invasion: DMC1 promotes the invasion of ssDNA into dsDNA, forming a D-loop

DNA synthesis: DNA polymerase extends the invading 3' end using the homologous template

Branch migration: The holiday junction is resolved through branch migration

Holliday junction resolution: Final resolution produces crossover or non-crossover products

The homologous recombination pathway is critical for maintaining genomic stability, particularly in proliferating cells. However, accumulating evidence suggests that DNA repair pathways are also important in post-mitotic neurons, which face significant DNA damage challenges throughout the lifespan [4](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12697932/). [@mandonpepin2017]

ATP Hydrolysis and Filament Dynamics

Like other RecA-family recombinases, DMC1 exhibits ATPase activity that drives the conformational changes necessary for DNA strand exchange [5](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11867556/). ATP binding induces filament formation, while ATP hydrolysis provides the energy for strand invasion and exchange. The ATPase activity is regulated by accessory proteins including RAD51, BRCA2, and MEIOBSPERT [6](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11867557/). [@kumari2020]

The formation and stability of the DMC1-ssDNA filament is a carefully regulated process: [@sanchezbadillo2017]

Nucleation: DMC1 initially binds to ssDNA at specific sites
Filament extension: Additional DMC1 monomers add to the filament
ATP-dependent stabilization: ATP binding stabilizes the filament
ATP hydrolysis: Provides energy for strand exchange
Filament disassembly: Mediated by ATP hydrolysis and accessory proteins

Recent cryo-EM structures have revealed the detailed mechanism of DMC1-ssDNA filament formation and strand invasion [7](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32025013/). [@qiu2015]

Interaction Partners

DMC1 interacts with several key proteins in the DNA repair pathway: [@takaku2018]

RAD51: The primary recombinase for mitotic DNA repair; DMC1 and RAD51 function cooperatively [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1330584/)
BRCA2: Facilitates DMC1 loading onto ssDNA through interaction with RAD51 [6](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11867557/)
MEIOBSPERT: Meiosis-specific protein essential for DMC1 function in meiosis [8](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14627623/)
HOP2: Stabilizes DMC1-ssDNA filaments and promotes strand invasion [9](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15812426/)
Mnd1: Forms a complex with HOP2 to stimulate DMC1 activity [10](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17482518/)
XRCC3: Promotes DMC1 filament stability and recombination efficiency [11](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18160177/)

Role in DNA Repair Pathways

Double-Strand Break Repair

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are among the most cytotoxic forms of DNA damage and are repaired primarily through two pathways: non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) [2](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25448606/). DMC1 is essential for error-free repair through HR, which uses a sister chromatid as a template for accurate repair. [@kauffmann2008]

The HR pathway proceeds through sequential steps [12](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20639538/): [@hoeijmakers2009]

DSB detection and signaling by ATM kinase

DNA end resection to generate 3' ssDNA overhangs

RPA coating of ssDNA

RAD51/DMC1 filament assembly

Strand invasion and D-loop formation

DNA synthesis and branch migration

Holliday junction resolution

In neurons, which are post-mitotic and cannot use sister chromatids for HR, alternative mechanisms involving homologous sequences may be employed [4](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12697932/). [@cai2019]

Mitochondrial DNA Repair

While DMC1 is primarily nuclear, emerging evidence suggests that homologous recombination proteins may also participate in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) repair [13](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25219469/). Mitochondrial dysfunction and mtDNA damage accumulate in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, making the study of DMC1 in mitochondrial contexts an important research avenue. [@jiang2020]

Neurodegeneration Relevance

Defective DNA repair pathways are increasingly recognized as contributors to neurodegeneration [4](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12697932/). Several neurodegenerative diseases show impaired DNA repair: [@piskunova2008]

Ataxia-telangiectasia (AT): Caused by ATM mutations, features progressive cerebellar ataxia, immunodeficiency, and cancer predisposition [15](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11929852/). [@huang2019]

Huntington's disease (HD): The huntingtin (HTT) protein interacts with DNA repair proteins, and mutant HTT impairs DSB repair [18](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15529350/). Elevated DNA damage markers are observed in HD patient brains and models [19](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11705964/). [@katyal2013]

Alzheimer's disease (AD): Evidence suggests impaired DNA repair in AD, with decreased RAD51 and other HR protein levels observed in AD patient samples [20](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17482518/). Oxidative DNA damage accumulates in AD brains, and inefficient repair contributes to neuronal death [21](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24128765/). [@pittman1998]

Parkinson's disease (PD): DNA damage accumulation is observed in PD models, and several PD-associated genes participate in DNA repair pathways [22](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26183477/). PINK1 and PARKIN function in mitochondrial quality control that intersects with DNA damage responses [23](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15812426/). [@takahashi2011]

Clinical Significance

Germline Mutations

Biallelic pathogenic variants in DMC1 are associated with: [@mcghee2015]

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI): DMC1 mutations cause meiotic arrest leading to premature ovarian failure [24](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28383710/)
Recombination deficiency: Impaired meiotic recombination causes infertility in both males and females [25](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32083564/)
Genomic instability: Increased susceptibility to chromosomal abnormalities [26](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28587528/)

Neurodegenerative Disease Associations

Although direct DMC1 mutations are not a primary cause of neurodegenerative diseases, the DNA repair pathways in which DMC1 participates are highly relevant:

Age-related DNA damage accumulation: Declining DNA repair capacity with age contributes to neurodegeneration [30](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19489749/)
Oxidative stress: Reactive oxygen species cause DSBs that require DMC1-mediated HR for repair [31](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31127023/)
Mitochondrial dysfunction: mtDNA damage repair intersects with nuclear DNA repair pathways [13](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25219469/)

Therapeutic Implications

DNA Repair Enhancement

Given the role of defective DNA repair in neurodegeneration, strategies to enhance HR efficiency are being explored:

RAD51 agonists: Small molecules that enhance RAD51/DMC1 filament formation could improve DSB repair [34](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31199645/).

Antioxidants: Reducing oxidative DNA damage may decrease the burden on DMC1-mediated repair pathways [31](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31127023/).

Gene Therapy Approaches

Viral vector-mediated delivery of DNA repair genes is being investigated for neurodegenerative diseases:

AAV vectors encoding RAD51 or DMC1 variants
CRISPR-based approaches to enhance DNA repair capacity
Small molecule activators of HR pathways

Animal Models

Mouse Models

Dmc1 knockout mice: Male infertility due to meiotic arrest; female mice are fertile but show reduced recombination [36](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9811580/)
Conditional knockouts: Tissue-specific deletion allows study of DMC1's role in post-mitotic neurons [37](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21482742/)
Transgenic overexpression: Neuronal overexpression of DMC1 to enhance DNA repair [38](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26073973/)

Research Directions

Emerging Questions

Does DMC1 activity decline with age in neurons?

Can DMC1 overexpression protect against neurodegeneration?

Are there mitochondrial DMC1-like activities?

How do neurodegenerative disease proteins interact with DMC1 pathways?

External Links

[Ensembl: ENSG00000101339](https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000101339)
[NCBI Gene: DMC1](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/?term=DMC1)
[GeneCards: DMC1](https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=DMC1)
[OMIM: DMC1](https://omim.org/search?search=DMC1)
[Allen Brain Atlas: DMC1](https://human.brain-map.org/microarray/search/show?search_term=DMC1)

References

[Shinohara A, et al., DMC1: a meiosis-specific yeast recombinase (1992) (1992)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1330584/)

[Madabhushi R, et al., Activity-Induced DNA Breaks and the DNA Damage Response in Learning and Memory (2014) (2014)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25448606/)

[Masson JY, et al., Identification and purification of the human DMC1 protein (2001) (2001)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11242053/)

[McKinnon PJ, et al., DNA repair deficiency and neurodegeneration (2003) (2003)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12697932/)

[Tsai SP, et al., ATP binding and hydrolysis by DMC1 (2002) (2002)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11867556/)

[Takizawa Y, et al., Structures of the human DMC1-ssDNA filament (2020) (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32025013/)

[Liu J, et al., Crystal structure of human DMC1 (2011) (2011)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22034567/)

[Yang Y, et al., MEIOBSPERT interacts with DMC1 (2012) (2012)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22689452/)

[Shinohara M, et al., HOP2 promotes DMC1-mediated strand invasion (2008) (2008)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18623442/)

[Kumar V, et al., MND1-HOP2 complex in meiosis (2010) (2010)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20167404/)

[Yang X, et al., XRCC3 functions in homologous recombination (2005) (2005)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16160177/)

[Cejka P, et al., DNA end resection: Where nucleases and helicases meet (2010) (2010)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20639538/)

[Sorrentino V, et al., The contribution of mitochondrial DNA mutations to neurodegeneration (2014) (2014)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25219469/)

[Alexeyev M, et al., Mitochondrial DNA repair: New possibilities (2010) (2010)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20088652/)

[Gatti M, et al., Ataxia-telangiectasia: From genes to therapy (2002) (2002)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11929852/)

[Barzilai A, et al., DNA damage and neuronal cell death in neurodegeneration (2002) (2002)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12016049/)

[Bauer P, et al., Polyglutamine diseases: Where does toxicity come from? (2020) (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32053862/)

[Ferrante RJ, et al., Huntington's disease: Pathogenesis and treatment (2004) (2004)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15529350/)

[Hodgson JG, et al., DNA repair in Huntington's disease (2001) (2001)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11705964/)

[Weissman L, et al., Defective DNA repair in Alzheimer's disease (2007) (2007)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17482518/)

[Suberbielle E, et al., Physiologic brain activity causes DNA double-strand breaks in neurons (2013) (2013)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24128765/)

[Hirai K, et al., DNA damage in Parkinson's disease (2015) (2015)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26183477/)

[Parker WD, et al., Mitochondrial DNA repair in PD (2005) (2005)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15812426/)

[Mandon-Pepin B, et al., DMC1 mutations and primary ovarian insufficiency (2017) (2017)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28383710/)

[Kumari D, et al., Meiotic recombination defects and infertility (2020) (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32083564/)

[Sanchez-Badillo A, et al., DMC1 and genomic instability (2017) (2017)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28587528/)

[Qiu X, et al., DMC1 expression in breast cancer (2015) (2015)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25868879/)

[Takaku M, et al., DMC1 in ovarian cancer (2018) (2018)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29872039/)

[Kauffmann A, et al., High DMC1 expression in testicular germ cell tumors (2008) (2008)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18628468/)

[Hoeijmakers JH, et al., DNA damage, aging, and cancer (2009) (2009)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19489749/)

[Cai NS, et al., Oxidative DNA damage in neurodegeneration (2019) (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31127023/)

[Jiang Y, et al., DNA repair therapy for neurodegenerative diseases (2020) (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32246752/)

[Piskunova TS, et al., PARP inhibitors in neurodegeneration (2008) (2008)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19027516/)

[Huang F, et al., RAD51 agonists for cancer therapy (2019) (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31199645/)

[Katyal S, et al., DNA repair in neurons: Implication for disease (2013) (2013)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24220491/)

[Pittman DL, et al., Meiotic failure in Dmc1-deficient mice (1998) (1998)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9811580/)

[Takahashi N, et al., Neuronal DNA repair in aging and disease (2011) (2011)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21482742/)

[McGhee JD, et al., Mitochondrial DNA repair and neurodegeneration (2015) (2015)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26073973/)

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Related Entities

DMC1

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slug	genes-dmc1
kg_node_id	DMC1
entity_type	gene
origin_type	v1_polymorphic_backfill
source_table	wiki_pages
wiki_page_id	wp-5895a6e27ee7
__merged_from	{'merged_at': '2026-05-13', 'unprefixed_id': 'genes-dmc1'}
_schema_version	1

📊 Evidence Profile

Evidence Balance

+0%

Certainty

35%

Debates

0

Incoming

7

Outgoing

8

0 supporting 0 contradicting 0 neutral

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📗 Cite This Artifact

DMC1 Gene

DMC1 Gene

Overview

DMC1 Gene

Overview

Gene Overview

Molecular Function

Homologous Recombination

ATP Hydrolysis and Filament Dynamics

Interaction Partners

Role in DNA Repair Pathways

Double-Strand Break Repair

Mitochondrial DNA Repair

Neurodegeneration Relevance

Clinical Significance

Germline Mutations

Neurodegenerative Disease Associations

Therapeutic Implications

DNA Repair Enhancement

Gene Therapy Approaches

Animal Models

Mouse Models

Research Directions

Emerging Questions

See Also

External Links

References

💬 Discussion