Identification of the c-myc oncogene product in normal and malignant B cells.

Antiserum to a synthetic peptide corresponding to the carboxyl-terminus of the human c-myc protein immunoprecipitated a 48,000-dalton protein from a number of normal and malignant human and mouse cells. The size of the protein is consistent with the potential coding region predicted from the c-myc nucleotide sequence, and is the same for malignant cells carrying either a rearranged or an unrearranged c-myc oncogene. Because c-myc transcripts are expressed at higher levels in malignant than in normal B cells, it appears that an increased level of the c-myc protein rather than a change in the gene product is the relevant factor in determining transformation.