Spindle and kinetochore-associated protein 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SKA2 gene found in chromosome 17. SKA2 is a part of a spindle and kinetochore associated complex also including SKA1 and SKA3 which is responsible for onset of the anaphase in mitosis by regulating chromosomal segregation.
SKA2 may function as a prognostic gene marker for identifying lung cancer as well as a proposed biomarker for suicidal tendencies and post-traumatic stress disorders. The SKA2 gene contains one single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7208505 located in the 3' UTR. This genetic variant containing a cytosine (existing in the less common allele) instead of thymine along with epigenetic modification (such as DNA methylation) is correlated with suicidal tendencies and post-traumatic stress.
