Component of the elongator complex which is required for multiple tRNA modifications, including mcm5U (5-methoxycarbonylmethyl uridine), mcm5s2U (5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2-thiouridine), and ncm5U (5-carbamoylmethyl uridine) (PubMed:29332244). The elongator complex catalyzes the formation of carboxymethyluridine in the wobble base at position 34 in tRNAs (PubMed:29332244). Regulates the migration and branching of projection neurons in the developing cerebral cortex, through a process depending on alpha-tubulin acetylation (By similarity). ELP1 binds to tRNA, mediating interaction of the elongator complex with tRNA (By similarity). May act as a scaffold protein that assembles active IKK-MAP3K14 complexes (IKKA, IKKB and MAP3K14/NIK) (PubMed:9751059).
