V-Myc Myelocytomatosis Viral Related Oncogene, Neuroblastoma Derived (MYCN)

The MYCN oncogene encodes a transcription factor belonging to the MYC family. It is primarily expressed in normal developing embryos and is thought to be critical in brain and other neural development. MYCN amplification is found in 20 to 30% of neuroblastoma tumors, the most frequent extracranial solid tumors of childhood.The deduced 456-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 49 kD. NMYC shares a high degree of similarity with MYC, particularly in the putative C-terminal DNA-binding domain.Transcription initiates at 2 clusters of sites that appear to be under the control of 2 distinct promoters. In addition, 2 alternative first exons, 1a and 1b, are spliced to a common acceptor site in exon 2. Both mRNAs encode the 65- and 67-kD NMYC proteins.