The role of NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) in cytokine signaling remains controversial To identify the physiologic functions of NIK, we disrupted the NIK locus by gene targeting. Although NIK-/- mice displayed abnormalities in both lymphoid tissue development and antibody responses, NIK-/- cells manifested normal NF-kappaB DNA binding activity when treated with a variety of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and lymphotoxin-beta (LT beta). However, NIK was selectively required for gene transcription induced through ligation of LT beta receptor but not TNF receptors. These results reveal that NIK regulates the transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB in a receptor-restricted manner.