Replication Protein A^* (RPA) is a single-stranded DNA binding protein that is involved in DNA replication, repair and recombination. These web pages are meant to provide a one-stop for information about this important protein. Please click on the links at the top of this page in order to access specific information that we gathered within the course of our own research and outreach activities.

For a comprehensive introduction to this protein, one can read either of the two papers:
              (i) RPA: the eukaryotic SSB, by Iftode et al.
              (ii) RPA: a heterotrimeric SSB, Wold et al.
For all papers on RPA indexed by the PubMed, click this link: RPA@PubMed.
 

RPA gets phosphorylated in response to DNA damage (e.g. by radiation) and phosphorylation of RPA is being studied in order to understand its effect on cell-cycle regulation. RPA contains three structural subunits: RPA70, RPA32 and RPA14, which are assembled in functional complexes that change their quaternary structures as a result of DNA binding and phosphorylation. Our interest in RPA stems mainly from attempts to understand structural rearrangements induced by phosphorylation.  RPA is one of the best studied systems, offering a body of structural and biochemical data that can be used to test theoretical models.

This work was initiated and funded by Dr. Kathleen Dixon, Professor, Dept. of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati and is being conducted in our group by Karthikeyan Swaminathan , Graduate Student, Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati.

^*Synonyms: Replication factor A, RFA, Human single stranded DNA binding protein, HSSB, RP-A, RF-A, REPA.