InterPro domain: IPR039659

Transcription elongation factor Spt5 is found in both eukaryotes and archaea. Spt5 forms a heterodimer with Spt4 and collaborates with other transcription factors to pause or promote RNA polymerase II transcription elongation [ 1 ]. It has been demonstrated that Spt4, Spt5, and Spt6 play roles in transcription elongation in both yeast and humans, including a role in activation by Tat. It is known that Spt4, Spt5, and Spt6 are general transcription-elongation factors, controlling transcription both positively and negatively in important regulatory and developmental roles [ 2 ].

1. The transcription elongation factor Spt5 influences transcription by RNA polymerase I positively and negatively. J. Biol. Chem. 286, 18816-24
2. Control of eukaryotic transcription elongation. Genome Biol. 2, REVIEWS1006