c-Myc is a multifunctional， nuclear phosphoprotein that plays a role in cell cycle progression， apoptosis and cellular transformation. It functions as a transcription factor that regulates transcription of specific target genes. Mutations， overexpression， rearrangement and translocation of c-Myc have been associated with a variety of hematopoietic tumors， leukemias and lymphomas， including Burkitt lymphoma. There is evidence to show that alternative translation initiations from an upstream， in-frame non-AUG （CUG） and a downstream AUG start site result in the production of two isoforms with distinct N-termini. The synthesis of non-AUG initiated protein is suppressed in Burkitt’s lymphomas， suggesting its importance in the normal function of this gene.
