Myc is a basic helix-loop-helix zipper transcription factor that regulates a network of many hundreds of genes. Myc up-regulates the expression of many genes involved in cell growth and proliferation such as ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis (1). While many Myc induced genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase II, tRNA and rRNA genes are also Myc targets (1). Myc is also responsible for repressing genes involved in cell-cycle arrest and cell adhesion. Genome-wide profiling of Myc binding through chromatin immunoprecipitation with Myc antibody has revealed broad association with many targets with some estimates as high as 10-15% of genomic loci (2). The ability of Myc to activate or repress such a large number of targets allows integration of environmental signals and regulation of opposing cellular pathways (1). The ability to enhance cell growth and block cell-cycle arrest makes Myc an important proto-oncogene as well. The amplification of Myc across many cancer types demonstrates its importance in tumorigenesis. Further knowledge of the Myc transcriptional network may provide insight into tumor biology and lead to future therapies (3).
While Myc antibodies are important for characterizing the endogenous protein and its molecular mechanisms, they have also become a ubiquitous research tool used for detecting fusion proteins. A 10 amino acid epitope from the Myc protein has been widely used to generate N- or C-terminally tagged fusion proteins (4). The wide availability of high quality monoclonal Myc antibodies allows researchers to detect their protein of interest without the need to generate a unique antibody. Myc antibodies, such as the 9E10 monoclonal antibody, have been tested in a variety of species and validated for techniques ranging from ChIP and immunohistochemistry to affinity purification. The Myc-tag epitope is extremely well characterized. Hilpert et. al. investigated the 9E10 Myc antibody and successfully identified the key amino acid residues within the Myc-tag epitope required for antibody recognition (4). The 9E10 antibody epitope has been widely used in molecular biology research and will continue to be an important research tool.
Novus Biologicals offers Myc reagents for your research needs including:
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