What is the main function of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question: What is the main function of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes?

Option a) "to increase immune cell activity" — This statement does not describe the known primary role of BRCA1/BRCA2. While immune function can influence cancer surveillance, BRCA1/BRCA2 are not primarily responsible for boosting immune cell activity.

Option b) "to repair damaged DNA and prevent mutations" — This is the core function of BRCA1 and BRCA2. They encode proteins that participate in the homologous recombination pathway, a high-fidelity DNA repair mechanism, helping to fix double-strand breaks and maintain genomic stability. By repairing DNA accurately, they prevent mutations that can lead to cancer.

Option c) "to speed up cell division" — BRCA1/BRCA2 are not accelerators of cell cycle progression. In fact, loss of BRCA function can lead to genomic instability and may indirectly influence uncontrolled growth, but their established role is DNA repair, not pushing cells to divide faster.

Option d) "to make estrogen receptors on breast cells" — BRCA genes are not responsible for encoding estrogen receptors. Estrogen receptor expression is governed by different receptors and signaling pathways; BRCA1/BRCA2's primary function is DNA repair rather than receptor synthesis.

Summary: Among the choices, option b correctly identifies BRCA1/BRCA2 as primarily involved in repairing damaged DNA and preventing mutations, which underpins their role in reducing cancer risk. The other options describe functions not characteristic of BRCA1/BRCA2, misattributing their main purpose to immune activity, cell division speed, or receptor production.

What is the main function of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes?

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