The Mad side of the Max network: antagonizing the function of Myc and more

Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2006:302:63-122. doi: 10.1007/3-540-32952-8_4.

Abstract

A significant body of evidence has been accumulated that demonstrates decisive roles of members of the Myc/Max/Mad network in the control of various aspects of cell behavior, including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The components of this network serve as transcriptional regulators. Mad family members, including Mad1, Mxi1, Mad3, Mad4, Mnt, and Mga, function in part as antagonists of Myc oncoproteins. At the molecular level this antagonism is reflected by the different cofactor/chromatin remodeling complexes that are recruited by Myc and Mad family members. One important function of the latter is their ability to repress gene transcription. In this review we summarize the current view of how this repression is achieved and what the consequences of Mad action are for cell behavior. In addition, we point out some of the many aspects that have not been clarified and thus leave us with a rather incomplete picture of the functions, both molecular and at the cellular level, of Mad family members.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / chemistry
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / chemistry
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
  • DNA / genetics
  • DNA / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Structure
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism
  • Repressor Proteins / chemistry
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Myc associated factor X
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • Repressor Proteins
  • DNA