Myc Oncogene

Definition

The myc gene was originally identified in the avian myelocytomatosis retrovirus as the oncogene responsible for inducing myeloid leukemia in birds. The cellular homologue, c-MYC, was discovered as a promoter insertion in chicken and the human gene was later identified in the B-cell tumor Burkitt lymphoma. The related MYCN and MYCL genes were found amplified in neuroblastoma and in small cell lung cancer, respectively. The myc genes are highly conserved through evolution and are found in all animals examined with the exception of the nematode caenorhabditis elegans that seems to lack a myc ortholog. In vertebrates, c-myc and MYCN are essential during development. Two additional myc genes: S-myc and B-myc are expressed exclusively in rodents and are not as well characterized. The gene product Myc is a multifunctional protein with the ability to regulate the cell cycle, cell growth and metabolism, differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and transformation.

Characteristics

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