N-Myc
Encyclopedia
V-myc myelocytomatosis viral related oncogene, neuroblastoma derived (avian), also known as MYCN, is a protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

 which in humans is encoded by the MYCN gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

.

Function

This gene is a member of the MYC family of transcription factor
Transcription factor
In molecular biology and genetics, a transcription factor is a protein that binds to specific DNA sequences, thereby controlling the flow of genetic information from DNA to mRNA...

s and encodes a protein with a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH
Basic-helix-loop-helix
A basic helix-loop-helix is a protein structural motif that characterizes a family of transcription factors.- Structure :The motif is characterized by two α-helices connected by a loop. In general, transcription factors including this domain are dimeric, each with one helix containing basic amino...

) domain. This protein is located in the nucleus and must dimerize with another bHLH protein in order to bind DNA.

Clinical significance

Amplification of this gene is associated with a variety of tumors, most notably neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid cancer in childhood and the most common cancer in infancy, with an annual incidence of about 650 cases per year in the US , and 100 cases per year in the UK . Close to 50 percent of neuroblastoma cases occur in children younger than two years old...

s.

Interactions

N-Myc has been shown to interact
Protein-protein interaction
Protein–protein interactions occur when two or more proteins bind together, often to carry out their biological function. Many of the most important molecular processes in the cell such as DNA replication are carried out by large molecular machines that are built from a large number of protein...

 with MAX
MAX (gene)
Protein max also known as myc-associated factor X is a protein that in humans is encoded by the MAX gene.- Function :Protein max is a member of the basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper family of transcription factors. It is able to form homodimers and heterodimers with other family members, which...

.

N-Myc is also stabilized by Aurora A which protects it from degradation.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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