A group of recent publications contribute new insights concerning the role of the DNA damage-binding protein complex (DDB) in DNA repair. Mutations in the 48kDa DDB2 subunit are now found in all confirmed cases of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group E. Several studies have reported a connection between the 127kDa DDB1 subunit and proteins involved in ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. One such multiprotein complex containing DDB1 and DDB2 is closely related to a complex containing DDB1 and the Cockayne syndrome group A (CSA) protein. There is accumulating evidence for several levels of cellular regulation of DDB, including translocation to the nucleus, proteolytic degradation of DDB2 protein, and transcriptional induction of DDB2 mRNA. Although the mechanism is not yet known, it appears that DDB assists in nucleotide excision repair in chromatin.