The Myc:Max Protein Complex and Cell Growth Regulation

Considering Myc in the context of the cell cycle creates something of a dilemma. Despite much evidence that Myc function must be intimately linked to cell growth control, we have only a vague idea of what the function of Myc actually is (for recent reviews, see Luscher and Eisenman 1990; Penn et al. 1990a). In this paper, we briefly review evidence bearing on the importance of Myc in the cell cycle and then describe the properties and cell cycle behavior of Max, a protein that specifically interacts with Myc. Finally, we propose a simple model for how Myc function may be carried out through complex formation with Max.