The DMC1 gene encodes a 36.7 kDa nuclear protein involved in meiotic homologous recombination. This recombinase is functionally related to the yeast RAD51 and E. coli RecA genes. In contrast to RAD51, which functions in both mitotic and meiotic recombination, DMC1 works specifically in meiotic recombination. Despite this difference, the RAD51 and DMC1 recombinase are structurally similar but not identical in nature.
