c-Myc is a protein of the Myc family of transcription factors (c-Myc, B-Myc, L-Myc, N-Myc, and s-Myc) encoded by the MYC proto-oncogene. c-Myc was first discovered as the cellular homolog of the retroviral v-Myc oncogene. c-Myc is a transcription factor for genes involved in cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. c-Myc contains a basic helix-loop-helix domain and a leucine zipper domain that allow for its heterodimerization with its binding partner Max. Myc/Max complexes are able to activate genes via the Myc transactivation domain (1).
