The elongation complex, which involves RNA polymerase, DNA template and nascent RNA, is a central intermediate in transcription cycle. It is elongation complex that represents the main target for the action of different regulatory factors. Over the past several years, many structural and biochemical data have been obtained that shed light upon the molecular details of RNA polymerase function. Cooperation between RNA polymerase elongation complex and translating ribosome was established recently. Here we discuss the mechanisms of the regulation of bacterial transcription elongation.