Enzymology of ADP-ribose polymer synthesis

In this minireview, we summarize recent advances on the enzymology of ADP-ribose polymer synthesis. First, a short discussion of the primary structure and cloning of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) [EC 2.4.2.30], the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose), is presented. A catalytic distinction between the multiple enzymatic activities of PARP is established. The direction of ADP-ribose chain growth as well as the molecular mechanism of the automodification reaction catalyzed by PARP are described. Current approaches to dissect ADP-ribose polymer synthesis into individual reactions of initiation, elongation and branching, as well as a partial mechanistic characterization of the ADP-ribose elongation reaction at the chemical level are also presented. Finally, recent developments in the catalytic characterization of PARP by site-directed mutagenesis are also briefly summarized.