該基因編碼的蛋白質是屬于pebp2/cbf轉錄因子家族的異二聚體核心結合轉錄因子的β亞單位，該轉錄因子家族主要調控造血（例如runx1）和成骨（例如runx2）特異性基因的宿主。β亞單位是一種非DNA結合調節亞單位；當復合物與各種增強子和啟動子（包括小鼠白血病病毒、多瘤病毒增強子、T細胞受體增強子和GM-CSF啟動子）的核心部位結合時，它通過α亞單位變構增強DNA結合。選擇性剪接產生兩個mRNA變異體，每個變異體編碼一個不同的羧基末端。在某些情況下，16號染色體的中心周圍逆轉錄[inv（16）（p13q22）]在與平滑肌肌球蛋白重鏈11的C端部分融合時產生由核結合因子β的N端組成的嵌合轉錄物。這種染色體重排與M4EO亞型的急性髓性白血病有關。兩個編碼不同亞型的轉錄變體已經被發現。
The protein encoded by this gene is the beta subunit of a heterodimeric core-binding transcription factor belonging to the PEBP2/CBF transcription factor family which master-regulates a host of genes specific to hematopoiesis (e.g., RUNX1) and osteogenesis (e.g., RUNX2). The beta subunit is a non-DNA binding regulatory subunit; it allosterically enhances DNA binding by alpha subunit as the complex binds to the core site of various enhancers and promoters, including murine leukemia virus, polyomavirus enhancer, T-cell receptor enhancers and GM-CSF promoters. Alternative splicing generates two mRNA variants, each encoding a distinct carboxyl terminus. In some cases, a pericentric inversion of chromosome 16 [inv(16)(p13q22)] produces a chimeric transcript consisting of the N terminus of core-binding factor beta in a fusion with the C-terminal portion of the smooth muscle myosin heavy chain 11. This chromosomal rearrangement is associated with acute myeloid leukemia of the M4Eo subtype. Two transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene.