The Paradox of c-Myc Proto-oncogene and its Diverse Functions

Abstract

c-Myc is one of the most extensively studied genes in contemporary biomedical research. A number of studies have suggested that in response to the external and internal signals, c-Myc interacts with other small protein such as Max, Mad etc. and modulates the expression of several target genes. Intriguingly, it has been estimated that c-Myc regulate ~10-15% of the global transcriptome, and therefore, influence the major cellular functions like cell cycle, cell adhesion, cellular apoptosis, metabolism, protein biosynthesis, etc. Functioning as a regulator of global gene expression, aberrant expression of c-Myc has been implicated as the major cause of several human diseases including cancer. Therefore, understanding the diverse functions of c-Myc is not only essential to answer some key questions related to developmental biology but also to develop novel therapeutic strategies against some fatal human diseases.