The invention provides a novel human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (hPARP2) polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, expression constructs comprising the polynucleotides, and host cells transformed with the expression constructs. Also provided are methods for producing the hPARP2 polypeptides, antibodies that are immunoreactive with the hPARP2 polypeptides. In addition, there are provided methods for identifying specific binding partners of hPARP2, and more particularly methods for identifying binding partners that modulate biological activity of hPARP2. Methods of modulating biological activity of hPARP2 in vitro and in vivo are also provided.