ERCC2, or XPD is a protein involved in transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair. The XPD (ERCC2) gene encodes for a 2.3-kb mRNA containing 22 exons and 21 introns. The XPD protein contains 760 amino acids and is a polypeptide with a size of 87kDa. Defects in this gene can result in three different disorders: the cancer-prone syndrome xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group D, photosensitive trichothiodystrophy, and Cockayne syndrome. XPD is essential for the viability of cells. Deletion of XPD in mice is lethal for developing embryos.