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Cleavage factors are two closely associated protein complexes involved in the cleavage of the 3' untranslated region of a newly synthesized pre-messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule in the process of gene transcription. The cleavage is the first step in adding a polyadenine tail to the pre-mRNA, which is one of the necessary post-transcriptional modifications necessary for producing a mature mRNA molecule.
In mammals, the two cleavage factors are known as CFIm and CFIIm. The proteins that constitute these complexes are recruited to the cleavage site by cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor and cleavage stimulatory factor, and form a larger complex that also includes polyadenine polymerase, which performs the polyadenylation reaction.