Essential component of the NELF complex, a complex that negatively regulates the elongation of transcription by RNA polymerase II (PubMed:10199401, PubMed:27256882). The NELF complex, which acts via an association with the DSIF complex and causes transcriptional pausing, is counteracted by the P-TEFb kinase complex (PubMed:11940650, PubMed:12612062, PubMed:27256882). Provides the strongest RNA binding activity of the NELF complex and may initially recruit the NELF complex to RNA (PubMed:18303858, PubMed:27256882, PubMed:27282391). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:10199401, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11940650, ECO:0000269|PubMed:12612062, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18303858, ECO:0000269|PubMed:27256882, ECO:0000269|PubMed:27282391}. (Microbial infection) The NELF complex is involved in HIV-1 latency possibly involving recruitment of PCF11 to paused RNA polymerase II. . This is the function of ENSG00000204356 (NELFE, negative elongation factor complex member E).