Structural maintenance of chromosomes protein 2 (SMC-2) also known as chromosome-associated protein E (CAP-E) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SMC2 gene.

Members of the structural maintenance of chromosomes, or SMC, family (e.g., SMC1A; MIM 300040) are critical for mitotic chromosome condensation in frogs and for DNA repair in mammals.[supplied by OMIM, Nov 2010].
Function: Central component of the condensin complex, a complex required for conversion of interphase chromatin into mitotic-like condense chromosomes. The condensin complex probably introduces positive supercoils into relaxed DNA in the presence of type I topoisomerases and converts nicked DNA into positive knotted forms in the presence of type II topoisomerases.