We have identified a DNA binding protein, named BETA, that interacts with the same (B) transcriptional regulatory sequence as the known transcription factor NF-KE!. BETA is found only in gray matter throughout the brain, and not in a variety of other rat tissues. Two binding sites for BETA are present adjacent to the promoter of the rat proenkephalin gene. Transfection of primary brain cultures that express BETA, with a reporter gene driven by the SV40 promoter linked to BETA DNA binding sites, results in transcriptional activation. We infer that BETA is a brain-specific transcription activator. introduction

Tuning the levels of expression of brain-specific proteins may be a key event in the regulation of the specific functions of the central nervous system. Factors that regulate the expression of brain-specific genes are thus likely to play important roles in the molecular events that underlie higher brain functions.