EAF2 Background Information The ELL family of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) elongation factors function to activate transcript elongation by inhibiting the transient pausing of Pol II. ELL-associated factor 1 (EAF1) and EAF2 directly interact with ELL family members ELL and ELL2, functioning as transcriptional activators of their elongation activities. More specifically, EAF1 and EAF2 can form a complex with ELL that targets the ternary elongation complex of Pol II, stimulating the rate of elongation. In addition, EAF1 and EAF2 are important for the stability of the NuA4 histone acetyltransferase complex, which transcriptionally activates certain genes by acetylation of Histones H4 and H2A. Both EAF1 and EAF2 are ubiquitously expressed members of the EAF family that colocalize with ELL to the the Cajal bodies and nuclear speckles. EAF1 contains a C-terminal region rich in aspartic acid, glutamic acid and serine residues. EAF2 is an androgen-response gene and can act as a potent apoptosis inducer.