From birth to death: The complex lives of eukaryotic mRNAs

Recent work indicates that the posttranscriptional control of eukaryotic gene expression is much more elaborate and extensive than previously thought, with essentially every step of messenger RNA (mRNA) metabolism being subject to regulation in an mRNA-specific manner. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of eukaryotic gene expression requires an appreciation for how the lives of mRNAs are influenced by a wide array of diverse regulatory mechanisms.