DNA damage response is crucial for maintaining genomic integrity and preventing cancer by coordinating the activation of checkpoints and the repair of damaged DNA. Central to DNA damage response are the two checkpoint kinases ATM and ATR that phosphorylate a wide range of substrates. RING finger and WD repeat domain 3 (RFWD3) was initially identified as a substrate of ATM/ATR from a proteomic screen. Subsequent studies showed that RFWD3 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitinates p53 in vitro and positively regulates p53 levels in response to DNA damage. We report here that RFWD3 associates with replication protein A (RPA), a single-stranded DNA-binding protein that plays essential roles in DNA replication, recombination, and repair. Binding of RPA to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), which is generated by DNA damage and repair, is essential for the recruitment of DNA repair factors to damaged sites and the activation of checkpoint signaling. We show that RFWD3 is physically associated with RPA and rapidly localizes to sites of DNA damage in a RPA-dependent manner. In vitro experiments suggest that the C terminus of RFWD3, which encompass the coiled-coil domain and the WD40 domain, is necessary for binding to RPA. Furthermore, DNA damage-induced phosphorylation of RPA and RFWD3 is dependent upon each other. Consequently, loss of RFWD3 results in the persistent foci of DNA damage marker ␥H2AX and the repair protein Rad51 in damaged cells. These findings suggest that RFWD3 is recruited to sites of DNA damage and facilitates RPA-mediated DNA damage signaling and repair.The cellular response to genotoxic stress initiates multiple signal transduction pathways that include transcription regulation, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage repair, and apoptosis (1, 2). Central to DDR 2 are two checkpoint kinases ATM and ATR that phosphorylate many downstream effectors to execute these functions (3, 4). Identification of key players and the characterization of their molecular functions enable a more thorough understanding of the DDR pathways, which are critical for maintaining genomic integrity. Several recent proteomic screens have drastically expanded the landscape of DDR pathways with the identification of hundreds of putative ATM/ATR substrates (5-7). Recently, we investigated the role of a previously uncharacterized protein, RING finger and WD repeat domain 3 (RFWD3, also known as RNF201 and FLJ10520; GenBank TM number 55159) in DDR (5, 8). Originally identified from a proteomic screen for ATM/ATR substrates, RFWD3 was found phosphorylated at several conserved SQ sites in cells that were treated with ionizing radiation (IR) and replication blocking agents. Subsequent biochemical analysis revealed that RFWD3 can form a complex with MDM2 and p53 and is required for the maintenance of high levels of p53 upon DNA damage induction. The RFWD3 protein contains several well characterized functional domains as well as domains of unknown functions. The N-terminal RING finger domain is a conserved E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase domain. In vitro r...