The HPF1-dependent histone PARylation catalyzed by PARP2 is specifically stimulated by an incised AP site-containing BER DNA intermediate.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) and PARP2 are DNA-dependent poly(ADP-ribose)transferases localized in nucleus. They have a significant homology in the C-terminal catalytic domain structure but differ in their N-terminal DNA-binding parts. The structural difference has an impact on the interaction of PARP1 and PARP2 with DNA and their DNA-dependent activation. Here, we compare the interaction of PARP1 and PARP2 with free 147 bp nucleosomal DNA and its nucleosome-associated variant (NCP) that contain in one strand a 1-nucleotide gap with 5'-dRP (imitating the intermediate of Base Excision Repair) or no specific damage. The affinity of PARP2 for the DNA strongly depends on the gap presence and to a lesser extent on the association with nucleosomes, while PARP1 interacts primarily with blunt ends of all DNAs and with a lower affinity with the single-strand break. The activities of PARP1 and PARP2 in the autoPARylation reaction and heteromodification of histones are distinctly stimulated by HPF1, depending on the gap presence in activating DNA. The most significant HPF1-induced stimulation of the histone modification in the presence of gapped NCP is a peculiar feature of PARP2. We propose a specific regulatory role of PARP2 in the process of DNA repair in the context of chromatin.