Chain length analysis of ADP-ribose polymers generated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) as a function of beta-NAD+ and enzyme concentrations

Bireactant autopoly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) (EC 2.4.2.30) was carried out by using either increasing concentrations of beta-NAD+ (donor substrate) at a fixed protein concentration or increasing concentrations of PARP (acceptor substrate) at a fixed beta-NAD+ concentration. The 32P]ADP-ribose polymers synthesized were chemically detached from PARP by alkaline hydrolysis of the monoester bond between the carboxylate moiety of Glu and the polymer. Nucleic acid-like polymers were then analyzed by high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. The ADP-ribose chain lengths observed displayed substrate concentration-dependent elongation from 0.2 microM to 2 mM beta-NAD+. Similar results were observed at fixed concentrations of 4.5, 9, 18, 27, and 36 nM PARP. Therefore, we conclude that the concentration of the ADP-ribose donor substrate determines the average chain length of the polymer synthesized. In contrast, the polymer size was unaltered when the concentration of PARP was varied from 4.5 to 18 nM at a fixed beta-NAD+ concentration. However, when PARP concentrations > 18 nM were used, the total amount of monomeric ADP-ribose produced was noticeably less. Therefore, we conclude that high concentrations of PARP lead to acceptor substrate inhibition at the level of the ADP-ribose chain initiation reaction.