HGNC
The HUGO Genome Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) is the worldwide authority that assigns standardized nomenclature to human genes. The HGNC is responsible for approving unique symbols (short-form abbreviation) and names for each of the genes identified by the Human Genome Project. [1] The HGNC operates under the Human Genome Organization (HUGO) to fulfill its responsibilities.
Once symbols become approved, they are stored in the HGNC database. Symbols must be unique so they can be talked about individually, and this also facilitates electronic data retrieval from publications and databases. Currently, almost 33,000 symbols have been approved for use in information systems. Most of these symbols are for protein coding genes, but other symbols include pseudogenes, non-coding RNAs, phenotypes and genomic features. [2]
History
Summary of Guidelines
A summary of the naming guidelines is presented here:
1. Each approved gene symbol must be unique.
2. Symbols are short-form representations (or abbreviations) of the descriptive gene name.
3. Symbols should only contain Latin letters and Arabic numerals.
4. Symbols should not contain punctuation.
5. Symbols should not contain "G" for gene.
6. Symbols do not contain any reference to species, for example "H/h" for human.
A comprehensive detail of the HGNC guidelines can be found on their website. [4]
Examples
| Approved Symbol | Approved Name | Previous Symbols | Synonyms | Chromosome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABHD11 | abhydrolase domain containing 11 | WBSCR21 | PP1226 | 7q11.23 |
| NEUROD1 | neuronal differentiation 1 | NEUROD | BETA2, BHF-1, NeuroD, bHLHa3, MODY6 | 2q32 |
| TAL1 | T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia 1 | TCL5 | SCL, bHLHa17 | 1p32 |
| FUT2 | fucosyltransferase 2 (secretor status included) | SE | sej, Se2, SEC2 | 19q13.33 |
| ZACN | zinc activated ligand-gated ion channel | LGICZ1 | LGICZ, L2, ZAC, ZAC1 | 17q25.3 |
The full HGNC Gene Family dataset can be viewed and downloaded from their website [5]
See Also
References
1. Carter JH. 2008. Electronic Health Records: A Guide for Clinicians and Administrators, Second Edition. Philadelphia PA: ACP Press-American College of Physicians.
2. About the HGNC. http://www.genenames.org/about/overview (accessed 2014 Apr 26).
Submitted by Ben Lawrence
