InterPro domain: IPR022581

This is the very acidic N-terminal domain of the early transcription elongation factor Spt5 [ 1 ]. The Spt5-Spt4 complex regulates early transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II and has an imputed role in pre-mRNA processing via its physical association with mRNA capping enzymes. The actual function of this N-terminal domain is not known although it is dispensable for binding to Spt4 [ 2 ], nor is it essential for RNA polymerase II binding [ 3 ].

1. Novel domains and orthologues of eukaryotic transcription elongation factors. Nucleic Acids Res. 30, 3643-52
2. Characterization of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Spt5-Spt4 complex. RNA 15, 1241-50
3. Domains in the SPT5 protein that modulate its transcriptional regulatory properties. Mol. Cell. Biol. 20, 2970-83