title: A translocated human c-myc oncogene is altered in a conserved coding sequence.
abstract: We have cloned and characterized a c-myc (now designated MYC) oncogene that had been translocated into the mu switch region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus in a Burkitt lymphoma cell line. The breakpoint of the translocation occurs within the first intron of the c-myc gene, thereby separating the untranslocated first exon from the two coding exons. Transcription from the translocated gene arises from a cryptic promoter within the first intron, which produces a 438-nucleotide untranslated 5' region. The amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the c-myc gene has been substantially altered. In particular, a compensating set of frameshift mutations alters a string of 24 amino acids in a region of the protein tightly conserved in human, mouse, and chicken c-myc genes as well as in the human N-myc and L-myc oncogenes. Despite this, the mutated gene retains a reduced transforming ability in a rat embryo fibroblast focus-formation assay.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger