Cyclin E1 is essential for the reentry of quiescent cells into the cell cycle. When hypomorphic mutant Myb mice (Myb Plt4 ) were examined, it was noted that Cyclin E1 (Ccne1) expression was reduced. Furthermore, the induction of Ccne1 in recovering intestinal epithelia following radiation-induced damage was ablated in Myb-mutant mice. These data prompted us to investigate whether Myb directly regulated Ccne1 and to examine whether elevated Myb in colorectal cancer is responsible for Cyclin E1-driven tumor growth. Here, it was found that Myb/ MYB and Ccne1/CCNE1 expressions were coupled in both mouse and human adenomas. In addition, the low molecular weight Cyclin E1 was the predominant form in intestinal crypts and adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc)-mutant adenomas. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis confirmed that Myb bound directly to the Ccne1 promoter and regulated its endogenous expression. In contrast, Myb Plt4 served as a dominant-negative factor that inhibited wild-type Myb and this was not apparently compensated for by the transcription factor E2F1 in intestinal epithelial cells. Myb Plt4/Plt4 mice died prematurely on an Apc Min/þ background associated with hematopoietic defects, including a myelodysplasia; nevertheless, Apc Min/þ mice were protected from intestinal tumorigenesis when crossed to Myb Plt4/þ mice. Knockdown of CCNE1 transcript in murine colorectal cancer cells stabilized chromosome ploidy and decreased tumor formation. These data suggest that Cyclin E1 expression is Myb dependent in normal and transformed intestinal epithelial cells, consistent with a cell-cycle progression and chromosome instability role in cancer.Implications: This study demonstrates that Myb regulates Cyclin E1 expression in normal gastrointestinal tract epithelial cells and is required during intestinal tumorigenesis. Mol Cancer Res; 13(8); 1185-96. Ó2015 AACR.