May be involved in transcriptional regulation. Modulates various viral and cellular promoters in a promoter context-dependent manner. For example, transcription from the FOS promoter is increased, while Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter activity is repressed. Does not bind DNA directly. This is the function of ENSG00000172465 (TCEAL1, transcription elongation factor A like 1).