mRNA 3′ End Processing Factors: A Phylogenetic Comparison

Almost all eukaryotic mRNAs possess 3′ ends with a polyadenylate (poly(A)) tail. This poly(A) tail is not encoded in the genome but is added by the process of polyadenylation. Polyadenylation is a two-step process, and this process is accomplished by multisubunit protein factors. Here, we comprehensively compare the protein machinery responsible for polyadenylation of mRNAs across many evolutionary divergent species, and we have found these protein factors to be remarkably conserved in nature. These data suggest that polyadenylation of mRNAs is an ancient process.