Figure 1

Schematic representation of signatures that are common to ES cells and cancer cells. An activated Myc module (involving Max, Myc and NuA4; red arrow) and a repressed PRC module (involving PRC1 and PRC2; blue arrow) have been suggested as signatures that are common to ES cells and cancer cells. An activated core module (involving Oct4 and Nanog) is specific to ES cells. Genetic and/or chemical modulators that can change or shift the activity of these shared modules can be identified by high-throughput screening in ES cells, and the identified modulators might also alter the activity of the shared signatures in cancer cells.