Involved in double-strand break repair and/or homologous recombination. Binds RAD51 and potentiates recombinational DNA repair by promoting assembly of RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Acts by targeting RAD51 to ssDNA over double-stranded DNA, enabling RAD51 to displace replication protein-A (RPA) from ssDNA and stabilizing RAD51-ssDNA filaments by blocking ATP hydrolysis. Part of a PALB2-scaffolded HR complex containing RAD51C and which is thought to play a role in DNA repair by HR. May participate in S phase checkpoint activation. Binds selectively to ssDNA, and to ssDNA in tailed duplexes and replication fork structures. May play a role in the extension step after strand invasion at replication-dependent DNA double-strand breaks; together with PALB2 is involved in both POLH localization at collapsed replication forks and DNA polymerization activity. In concert with NPM1, regulates centrosome duplication. Interacts with the TREX-2 complex (transcription and export complex 2) subunits PCID2 and DSS1, and is required to prevent R-loop- associated DNA damage and thus transcription-associated genomic instability. Silencing of BRCA2 promotes R-loop accumulation at actively transcribed genes in replicating and non-replicating cells, suggesting that BRCA2 mediates the control of R-loop associated genomic instability, independently of its known role in homologous recombination (PubMed:24896180).