Connections between mRNA 3′ end processing and transcription termination

Discoveries within the last few years have revealed that the multiple steps in gene expression are remarkably integrated. There have recently been several advances in deciphering how mRNA 3′ end processing is linked with transcription elongation and termination. It has been known for quite a long time that transcription termination is somehow intertwined with polyadenylation, but it is still unclear exactly how these two processes influence each other. Some recent reports are shedding light on these connections.