Protein involved in homologous recombination; attenuates resection of DNA double-strand break ends and stimulates strand exchange by facilitating Rad51p binding to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA); anneals complementary ssDNA; involved in the repair of double-strand breaks in DNA during vegetative growth, meiosis and UV induced sister chromatid recombination; forms a homodecameric ring; phosphorylation by Cdc28p in G2/M phase promotes Rad52p ring interaction that leads to superstructure formation