# DNA REARRANGEMENTS AND THE MYC ONCOGENE

> **NIH NIH R01** · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY · 1990 · $151,087

## Abstract

DNA rearrangements have been found to occur near cellular oncogene loci in
tumor cells, activating the oncogenes and inducing a deregulation in
cellular growth control.  The major goal of this project will be to
understand the chromosomal translocation that occurs at the c-myc locus in
mouse plasmacytomas, linking the oncogene to the immunoglobulin locus.  The
Ig gene region will be tested for the presence of transcriptional enhancing
sequences.  The c-myc intron sequences that function as a bidirectional
promoter after translocation will also be studied for enhancing activity
and for their ability to substitute for an essential, transcription factor
binding domain in the SV40 promoter.  Finally, the chromatin structure
surrounding the translocated c-myc gene will be analyzed for nuclease
sensitivity and the presence of hypersensitive sites.

In a related study, the c-myc gene has been used to detect and clone novel
mouse cellular sequences that promise to be members of a family of
myc-related cellular genes.  The mouse genes will be cloned and sequenced
to determine their relationship to the previously identified c- and N-myc
oncogenes.  These genes will be studied for their regulation in development
and in the cell cycle, and used to screen for DNA rearrangements in human
tumors.

Finally, a series of fibroblast clones that have been selected for
spontaneous anchorage-independent growth will be studied for the presence
of oncogene DNA rearrangements.  The frequency at which these variants
arise and their relatively stable phenotype suggest that they have suffered
a heritable genetic change.  Particular emphasis will be placed on
detecting gene amplification, a frequent mechanism by which myc oncogenes
are activated.  Each of these studies is designed to understand cellular
oncogenes and the molecular mechanisms by which they are activated in
cancer cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3177945
- **Project number:** 5R01CA039192-07
- **Recipient organization:** PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NJ1YPQXQG7U5
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL David COLE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $151,087
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-07-01 → 1991-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3177945

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3177945, DNA REARRANGEMENTS AND THE MYC ONCOGENE (5R01CA039192-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3177945. Licensed CC0.

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