Integrator complex removes lesion-stalled RNA polymerase II after transcription-coupled repair to facilitate transcription restart.

Integrator complex promotes release of lesion-stalled RNA polymerase II after transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair, enabling efficient transcription recovery.

• Why it matters: Transcription-blocking DNA lesions can stall RNA polymerase II and, if not cleared, drive transcription stress and cellular decline; how stalled polymerase is processed during TC-NER is unclear.
• What they did: Using interaction proteomics, the authors found Integrator recruitment to late-stage TC-NER complexes, then tested how Integrator’s endonuclease core affects transcription recovery and polymerase release with live-cell imaging and chromatin retention assays.
• The result: Integrator supports Pol II release from DNA following TC-NER and improves transcription recovery after TBL induction without impairing lesion removal, supporting a two-step clearance model.

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