SMC2

Structural maintenance of chromosomes protein 2 (SMC-2), also known as chromosome-associated protein E (CAP-E), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SMC2 gene. SMC2 is part of the SMC protein family and is a core subunit of condensin I and II, large protein complexes involved in chromosome condensation, overall organization. Several studies have demonstrated the necessity of SMC2 for cell division and proliferation.

== Structure == As one of the 6 Eukaryotic SMC proteins, SMC2 forms a heterodimer with SMC4 via their hinge domains. The heterodimer formed functions as a flexible and dynamic holocomplex core, which complexes with variant other non-SMC regulatory proteins to form condensin. In condensin I, SMC2 complexes with CAP-H, CAP-D2, and CAP-G. In condensin II, SMC2 complexes with CAP-H2, CAP-D3, and CAP-G2. Subunits CAP-H and CAP-H2 are categorized as kleisin proteins, similar to Scc1 which is found in cohesin, while CAP-D2, CAP-G, CAP-D3, and CAP-G2 contain structural HEAT repeats. thumb|Structure of a condensin protein holocomplex, displaying the SMC-2/SMC-4 heterodimer, and additional subunits. Kleisin is also depicted (blue).