When transcription and repair meet: a complex system

Transcription-coupled repair (TCR) is a mechanism that removes DNA lesions so that genes can be transcribed correctly. However, the sequence of events that results in a DNA lesion being repaired remains elusive. In this review, we illustrate the potential chain of events leading to the elimination of the damaged DNA and the proper resumption of transcription. We focus on the roles of CSA and CSB proteins, which, when mutated, impair TCR. Defective TCR is one of the features of Cockayne syndrome, a DNA-repair disorder.