This gene encodes a DNA-binding protein that is important in transcription-coupled excision repair. The encoded protein has ATP-stimulated ATPase activity, interacts with several transcription and excision repair proteins, and may promote complex formation at DNA repair sites. Mutations in this gene are associated with Cockayne syndrome type B and cerebrooculofacioskeletal syndrome 1. Alternative splicing occurs between a splice site from exon 5 of this gene to the 3' splice site upstream of the open reading frame (ORF) of the adjacent gene, piggyback-derived-3 (GeneID:267004), which activates the alternative polyadenylation site downstream of the piggyback-derived-3 ORF. The resulting transcripts encode a fusion protein that shares sequence with the product of each individual gene.