During the past two years, the role of the proteins HuR and hnRNP D in regu
lated mRNA degradation in humans has become clearer, and a putative mRNA de
adenylase, DAN or PARN, has been identified. In yeast, the relationship bet
ween translation and mRNA turnover is clearer, but the mRNA decapping proce
ss has turned out to be unexpectedly complex.