c-myc Gene activation and chromosomal translocation.

Burkitt's lymphoma cells are characterized by the presence of specific chromosomal translocation bringing the immunoglobulin and the c-myc proto-oncogenes into the proximity of each other. Different translocations involve each of the three immunoglobulin loci but the breakpoint with respect to the c-myc gene is shown to be very variable. In t8/14 the breakpoint occurs upstream from the c-myc gene whilst in the variant lymphomas it occurs downstream from the gene. Possible ways in which the translocation affects the c-myc gene are discussed.