•BRAFV600E expression induces aggressive gliomas in mice when combined with Ink4a/Arfloss or activation of the Akt pathway•Tumors with BRAFV600E and Ink4a/Arf deletion do NOTexpress GFAP, S100 and Olig2, but strongly express Nestinshow evidence of diffuse infiltration, aberrant vasculature and necrosis•No evidence of tumor formation in mice injected with BRAFV600E alone. Here, OLIG2 is linked to central nervous system cancer.