Nomenclature of Genes and Proteins

Standardized naming of genes and their products is an essential component of the postgenomic era and enables effective communication both within and beyond the biomedical sciences. While there is no single authority for naming genes in all species, most active research communities have established their own gene naming conventions. Human gene naming has been the remit of the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) since the 1970s, and gene naming across vertebrates is based on the HGNC names; such efforts greatly facilitate the analysis of novel genomic data.