Mechanistic insights into mRNA 3′-end processing

•Integrated structural biology approaches have provided new insights into the mechanism of eukaryotic mRNA 3′-end processing.•The polymerase modules of yeast and human cleavage and polyadenylation factors share a conserved architecture.•CryoEM structures of human CPSF have revealed the mechanism of AAUAAA polyadenylation signal recognition.•Cleavage and polyadenylation of mRNA 3′-ends likely involves a dynamic assembly of CPF/CPSF and accessory factors.