Genomics

Gene nomenclature

Biology

Gene

Genome

Human genome

Pseudogene

Nomenclature

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Computational biology

Genetics

Taxonomy (biology)

Nature Genetics

Standardized gene naming is crucial for effective communication about genes, and as genomics becomes increasingly important in health care, the need for a consistent language to refer to human genes becomes ever more essential. Here, we present the current HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) guidelines for naming not only protein-coding genes but also RNA genes and pseudogenes, and we outline the changes in approach and ethos that have resulted from the discoveries of the past few decades.

Guidelines for human gene nomenclature