UBA2, also known as SUMO-activating enzyme subunit 2, is a family of small and related proteins that can be enzymatically attached to a target protein by a post-translational modification process termed sumoylation. It is conjugated to a variety of molecules in the presence of the SAE1/UBA2 SUMO-activating(E1) enzyme and the UBE2I/Ubc9 SUMO-conjugating(E2) enzyme. It may represent an important mechanism to protect neurons during episodes of cerebral ischemia. Recombinant human UBA2, fused to His-tag at C-terminus, was expressed in insect cell and purified by using conventional chromatography techniques.