The Brca1 A complex contains Brca1/Bard1, Abraxas, Rap80, and Brcc36; however, with the exception of the Brca1-Abraxas interaction, how the A complex is assembled is not known. The A complex is localized to sites of DNA damage through the UIM domains of RAP80, which bind K63-linked polyubiquitin chains. In this study, we identified an FHA domain RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligase, RNF8, and an E2-conjugating enzyme known to form K63-polyubiquitin chains, Ubc13, each of which is required to recruit the Brca1 A complex to sites of DNA damage. Rnf8 localizes to sites of DNA damage through an FHA-domain-containing region. We found that Rap80 contains an Abraxas interaction domain [AIR (Abraxas-interacting region)], required for association of Rap80 with Abraxas, Brca1, and Brcc36. Abraxas and Brcc36 associate through coiled-coil domains on each protein. These data suggest a model through which Ubc13 and Rnf8 are recruited to sites of DNA damage through DNA-damage-induced phosphorylation of a chromatin-associated protein and generate polyubiquitin chains that then recruit Rap80 and the entire Brca1 A complex to DNA-damage foci. This sequential E3 ubiquitin ligase recruitment constitutes a ubiquitin ligase cascade required for DNA repair and checkpoint signaling.T he Brca1 tumor suppressor is associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and plays critical roles in DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint control, and maintenance of genomic stability (1, 2). Brca1 contains two C-terminal BRCT repeats and a N-terminal RING domain. Bard1 forms a heterodimeric complex with Brca1 that exhibits E3 ubiquitin ligase activity (3-6). The Brca1 BRCT repeats constitutes a phosphopeptide-recognition domain that binds peptides containing a pSxxF motif (7-9). We and others have found that Brca1 forms at least three distinct complexes (the Brca1 A, B, and C complexes) by binding different adaptor proteins through their pSPxF motifs (10-12). The adaptor proteins are Abraxas (Abra1) for the A complex, Bach1/Brip1 for the B complex, and CTIP for the C complex, and each complex forms in a mutually exclusive manner, which is consistent with the fact that they occupy the same physical location on Brca1. In addition to Abraxas, the Brca1 A complex contains Rap80. A deubiquitinating enzyme, Brcc36, has been shown to be present in the Rap80 and Brca1 complex (11, 13). Thus, Brcc36 is also likely to be part of the Brca1 A complex. How Rap80, Abraxas, and Brcc36 assemble into the Brca1 A complex has not been resolved.Rap80 contains two UIM domains that have been shown to bind K63-linked ubiquitin chains (11). The UIM domains of Rap80 are required for the localization of Rap80 and Abraxas to IR-induced foci (IRIFs) (10,11,14,15). The fact that the UIMs of Rap80 bind to K63-linked polyubiquitin chains implies the existence of an upstream E3 ubiquitin ligase that should play a critical role in the DNA-damage response. An E2 ubiquitinconjugating enzyme, Ubc13, has been implicated previously in Brca1 foci formation (16). Ubc13 forms a complex with an ...