Probably acts as a transcriptional activator. Mediates neuronal differentiation. Required for the regulation of amacrine cell fate specification in the retina (By similarity). Efficient DNA binding requires dimerization with another bHLH protein. Expressed in both the developing central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. Expression in the developing nervous system is transient and restricted to cells lining the ventricular zone that have ceased proliferation but have not yet begun to migrate into the outer layers. In retina, neurom is also transiently expressed in cells as they withdraw from the mitotic cycle, but persists in horizontal and bipolar neurons until full differentiation. In the peripheral nervous system, its expression closely follows cell proliferation. Serine or threonine phosphorylation within the basic region may regulate neurogenic activity.