ELP6

ELP6, or elongator protein 6, is a gene that encodes one of the six subunits of the eukaryotic Elongator complex. The Elongator complex is a conserved multi-subunit protein assembly that associates with RNA polymerase II and is implicated in transcriptional elongation as well as modifications of wobble uridines in certain transfer RNAs. ELP6 is the smallest and, in many species, the least characterized subunit. It is believed to contribute to the assembly and stability of the complex rather than to its catalytic activity, which resides in the ELP3 subunit that has histone acetyltransferase-like activity.

In organisms ranging from yeast to humans, the Elongator complex is involved in multiple cellular processes. In yeast, loss of ELP6 disrupts the integrity of the complex and reduces tRNA modification capacity; similar effects have been observed with perturbations in other subunits, reflecting interdependent assembly. In humans, variants in ELP6 or other Elongator subunits have been linked to neurological development and disease in some studies, though the precise mechanisms remain under investigation.

ELP6 is encoded by the ELP6 gene. The gene is conserved across eukaryotes, underscoring the essential nature of the Elongator complex for gene expression and translation through tRNA modification. Further research aims to clarify ELP6's specific contribution to Elongator structure, recruitment to chromatin, and how its dysfunction affects cellular physiology.