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Figure 1 | Genome Biology

Figure 1

From: Uncovering trends in gene naming

Figure 1

Criteria and examples of gene name classification. aSEMA5A (human): sema domain, seven thrombospondin repeats (type 1 and type 1-like), transmembrane domain (TM) and short cytoplasmic domain, (semaphorin) 5A; bdrop dead (Drosophila): flies with mutations in drop dead die rapidly after their brain rapidly deteriorates. cmalvolio (Drosophila): gene needed for normal taste behaviour. Malvolio in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night tasted "with distempered appetite". dLOV (many different organisms): light, oxygen, or voltage (LOV) family of blue-light photoreceptor domains. eyuri (Drosophila): this gene was discovered on the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's space flight. Mutants have problems with gravitaxis and cannot stay aloft. ftribbles (Drosophila): cells divide uncontrollably, like the eponymous Star Trek characters. gkuzbanian (Drosophila): mutants have uncontrollable bristle growth. Koozbanians are alien Muppets with uncontrollable hair growth; spelling was changed to avoid copyright infringement. hring (Drosophila): really interesting new gene. iyippee (Drosophila): a graduate student's reaction on cloning the gene. jkryptonite and superman (Arabidopsis): the kryptonite mutation suppresses the function of the SUPERMAN gene. karleekin, valient, tungus (Drosophila): mutations in arleekin, valient, tungus and 29 other genes affect long-term memory. Named after Pavlov's dogs. lPKD1 (human) and lov-1 (worm): these are homologs, although their names do not suggest it. mMT-1 (human): this label can refer to at least 11 different human genes. nBAF45 and BAF47 (mouse): names for the same gene, reflecting a revision of the molecular weight of product.

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