Transcription-coupled repair of 8-oxoguanine: requirement for XPG, TFIIH, and CSB and implications for Cockayne syndrome.

Abstract This paper has been retracted by the authors. Reason: In a letter to the Editor dated May 11, 2005, S.A.L. requested that Figures 1 and 2 containing his data be retracted, since examination of the raw data revealed that "there was an error in experiments that could have influenced, if not accounted for, the results presented". Examination by P.K.C. of the original data from the Leadon laboratory for these two figures revealed that unequal amounts of DNA had been loaded for analysis of repair in the transcribed and non-transcribed strands, with the unequal loading being sufficient to account for the appearance of preferential repair of the transcribed strand. These details in the conduct of the assay occurred without the knowledge of the other authors. Since key aspects of the data in this paper cannot be reproduced, the experimental evidence presented no longer provides sufficient support for the main conclusions. Thus, the authors are retracting the paper and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused the scientific community.