This family of yeast proteins is involved in single-strand-annealing, or SSA. SSA entails multiple steps: end resection and ssDNA formation; annealing of complementary ssDNAs; removal of 3' single-stranded non-homologous tails; gap fill-in synthesis; and ligation. Saw1 in combination with Slx4 catalyses the 3' non-homologous tail removal during recombination. Saw1 interacts physically with Rad1/Rad10, Msh2/Msh3, and Rad52 proteins, and works by targeting Rad1/Rad10 to Rad52-coated recombination intermediates [1].

1: Microarray-based genetic screen defines SAW1, a gene required for Rad1/Rad10-dependent processing of recombination intermediates. Li F, Dong J, Pan X, Oum JH, Boeke JD, Lee SE; Mol Cell. 2008;30:325-335. PMID:18471978