PARP2

PARP2 is widely expressed throughout the human body, with particularly high levels in the brain and testes. This enzyme plays a pivotal role in DNA damage repair by catalyzing the poly (ADP-ribose) reaction, a process that is similar yet distinct from that of its counterpart, PARP1, particularly in substrate selection. PARP2 is integral to the DNA damage response, especially in repairing single-stranded DNA breaks, and it modifies a range of nuclear proteins including histones, RNA polymerases, DNA polymerases, and DNA ligases through poly (ADP-ribose) modification, thus facilitating DNA repair. The enzyme's activity is also tied to cell apoptosis, as it loses function when cleaved by Caspase, serving as a significant marker of this process. Dysfunction of PARP2 has been implicated in a variety of diseases, such as Fanconi anemia, fallopian tube cancer, and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes.