Transcription errors in aging and disease

Accurate transcription is required for the faithful expression of genetic information. However, little is known about the fidelity of RNA synthesis or the biological consequences of transcription errors in living cells. Here, we review recent developments in massively parallel sequencing technology that allow the fidelity of transcription to be measured with unprecedented accuracy and summarize new observations that provide insight into the role of transcription errors in aging and disease. Taken together, these developments have the potential to change our understanding of mutagenesis itself, and significantly enhance our understanding of the origins of human disease.