Involved in recombination, probably acting by stabilizing recombination intermediates during meiotic crossover formation. Required for normal germline development and fertility. Required for meiotic progression, complete chromosomal synapsis and crossover formation. Binds double-stranded DNA. However, also binds branched DNA molecules, such as those containing a D-loop or Holliday junction structure. Probably not required for formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Also binds RNA in an RNA structure-independent manner, with a preference for binding 3'-UTR regions of mRNAs; may stabilize bound RNAs.
Subcellular locations: Chromosome
In pachytene spermatocytes, localized along autosomal axes and the synapsed pseudoautosomal region on sex chromosomes, decreasing rapidly after early pachytene, by mid- or late pachytene, and disappearing in the diplotene stage. Also detected on the paired regions of homologous chromosomes in zygotene and pachytene oocytes, colocalizing with MSH4. Chromosomal localization of REDIC1 is mainly dependent on meiotic DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and interhomolog strand invasion. In spermatocytes from early zygotene to early pachytene, more than 90% of REDIC1 foci colocalize with RPA2. Probably localizes first to recombination intermediates and later colocalizes with MLH1 at crossover sites.