Hydroxyurea-induced replication stress causes poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-2 accumulation and changes its intranuclear location in root meristems of Vicia faba

Replication stress induced by 24 and 48 h exposure to 2.5 mM hydroxyurea (HU) increased the activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-2 (PARP-2; EC 2.4.2.30) in root meristem cells of Vicia faba. An increase in the number of PARP-2 foci was accompanied by their delocalization from peripheral areas to the interior of the nucleus. Our results indicate that the increase in PARP-2 was connected with an increase in S139-phosphorylated H2AX histones. The findings suggest the possible role of PARP-2 in replication stress. We also confirm that the intranuclear location of PARP-2 depends on the duration of HU-induced replication stress, confirming the role of PARP-2 as an indicator of stress intensity. Finally, we conclude that the more intense the HU-mediated replication stress, the greater the probability of PARP-2 activation or H2AXS139 phosphorylation, but also the greater the chance of increasing the efficiency of repair processes and a return to normal cell cycle progression.