The protein encoded by this gene is highly similar to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad50, a protein involved in DNA double-strand break repair. This protein forms a complex with MRE11 and NBS1 (also known as Xrs2 in yeast). This MRN complex (MRX complex in yeast) binds to broken DNA ends and displays numerous enzymatic activities that are required for double-strand break repair by nonhomologous end-joining or homologous recombination.