The study was based on the fact that cell lines homozygous for BRCA1/2 mutations are hypersensitive to mitomycin-C (Moynahan et al., 2001) and that homozygous BRCA2 mutant mice have phenotypic features similar to those observed in the mice with FA (Connor et al., 1997). The gene discussed is BRCA2; the disease is Friedreich ataxia.