Involved in nuclear export of spliced and unspliced mRNA. Assembling component of the TREX complex which is thought to couple mRNA transcription, processing and nuclear export, and specifically associates with spliced mRNA and not with unspliced pre-mRNA. TREX is recruited to spliced mRNAs by a transcription-independent mechanism, binds to mRNA upstream of the exon-junction complex (EJC) and is recruited in a splicing- and cap-dependent manner to a region near the 5' end of the mRNA where it functions in mRNA export to the cytoplasm via the TAP/NFX1 pathway. May undergo several rounds of ATP hydrolysis during assembly of TREX to drive subsequent loading of components such as ALYREF/THOC and CHTOP onto mRNA. The TREX complex is essential for the export of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) intronless mRNAs and infectious virus production. Also associates with pre-mRNA independent of ALYREF/THOC4 and the THO complex. Involved in the nuclear export of intronless mRNA; the ATP-bound form is proposed to recruit export adapter ALYREF/THOC4 to intronless mRNA; its ATPase activity is cooperatively stimulated by RNA and ALYREF/THOC4 and ATP hydrolysis is thought to trigger the dissociation from RNA to allow the association of ALYREF/THOC4 and the NXF1-NXT1 heterodimer. Involved in transcription elongation and genome stability.