The catalytic glutamate residue of RAD51 (RAD51E163) that is required for cleavage of the covalent β-γ phosphate bond of ATP is conserved in RAD51B (E144) and RAD51C (E161), and RAD51CE161 mutations have been linked to breast/ovarian cancers (Fig. 3c). This evidence concerns the gene RAD51B and ovarian cancer.