NER is a versatile DNA repair mechanism that removes bulky DNA lesions, such as pyrimidine dimers and chemically induced adducts. These lesions can distort the DNA double helix and impede transcription and replication. NER operates through a "cut-and-patch" method, where the damaged segment is excised and replaced with the correct nucleotides. This process involves several steps: damage recognition, unwinding of the DNA helix, excision of the damaged strand, synthesis of the new strand, and ligation.
