PAPSS2 is one of the two PAPS synthetases. Three-prime-phosphoadenosine 5-prime-phosphosulfate (PAPS) is the sulfate donor cosubstrate for all sulfotransferase (SULT) enzymes. SULTs catalyze the sulfate conjugation of many endogenous and exogenous compounds, including drugs and other xenobiotics. In humans, PAPS is synthesized from adenosine 5-prime triphosphate (ATP) and inorganic sulfate by 2 isoforms, PAPSS1 and PAPSS2.

Bifunctional 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate synthetases (PAPS synthetase or PAPSS), also designated sulfurylase kinase (SK), are important for sulfate assimilation in the sulfur metabolism pathway. PAPPS proteins are bifunctional enzymes with APS kinase and ATP sulfurylase activity, which mediate two steps in the sulfate activation pathway. The PAPSS proteins belong to the APS kinase family and to the sulfate adenylyltransferase family of proteins. In mammals, PAPSS proteins are the sole source of sulfate. During postnatal growth, PAPSS proteins may play a role in skeletogenesis. Defects in the PAPSS2 gene can cause the Pakistani type of spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia (SEMD), an autosomal recessive form of SEMD characterized by short, bowed limbs, enlarged knee joints and mild brachydactyly.