BRCA1 (breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility protein 1) is a RING finger protein containing a BRCT domain. BRCA1 exists as a heterodimer with 22 possible isoforms. The full length protein has a reported molecular weight of 208 kD. BRCA1 localizes to the mitotic spindle microtubules, centriole walls, pericentriolar fibers at centrosomes. Unphosphorylated BRCA1 localizes on chromosomes from metaphase through telophase; phosphorylated BRCA1 resides in inner chromosomal structure, centrosome, cleavage furrow during prophase through telophase, and relocalizes to the perinuclear region when cells are subjected to IR or UV radiation in S phase. BRCA1 acts as a tumor suppressor and can function as a secreted growth inhibitory protein, participates in transcription-coupled repair of oxidative DNA damage, and X-chromosome inactivation. BRCA1 can also function as a E3 ubiquitin ligase. BRCA1 can be transcriptionally downregulated by Ets-2, Brg-1, and Hmga-1. BRCA1 can be modified by glycosylation, ubiquitination and phosphorylation by CDK4, ATM/ATR, cdk2, and hChk2. The BRCA1 protein has been reported to interact with RNA polymerase II holoenzyme and BARD1. The Poly6121 antibody has been shown to be useful for Western blotting of the human BRCA1 protein.