FIGURE 1: mRNA life-cycle in eukaryotic cells. Schematic view of the nuclear and cytoplasmic phases of the mRNA life cycle. Various mRNPs which are recruited onto/associated with the maturing transcripts during different stages are schematically indicated by solid colored symbols. Symbols are either annotated directly or denoted in the associated legend box. THO components/maturing factors/mRNA-binding proteins are released from mRNA once the mRNA matures and becomes export-competent. Similarly, export factors are also released from the transcript body once the mRNA arrives at the cytoplasm and shuttle back into the nucleus. In the cytoplasm, mRNAs may remain associated either with nuclear CBC (while undergoing a pioneer round of translation) or with eIF4E (while undergoing subsequent steady state translation) which is indicated in the diagram. For simplicity, other mRNA binding proteins remaining associated with translating mRNAs are not shown except for CBC and eIF4E. AUG and UAA are indicating the beginning and end of the open reading frame (ORF) carried by the message.