A guide to naming human non-coding RNA genes.

Ruth L Seal,Andrew J Pierce,Sandra L Wolin,Michael B Mathews,Todd M Lowe,Sam Griffiths‐Jones,Peter F Stadler,Ling‐Ling Chen,Igor Ulitsky,Dawn O'Reilly,Elspeth A Bruford

doi:10.15252/embj.2019103777

Abstract

Research on non‐coding RNA (ncRNA) is a rapidly expanding field. Providing an official gene symbol and name to ncRNA genes brings order to otherwise potential chaos as it allows unambiguous communication about each gene. The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC, http://www.genenames.org) is the only group with the authority to approve symbols for human genes. The HGNC works with specialist advisors for different classes of ncRNA to ensure that ncRNA nomenclature is accurate and informative, where possible. Here, we review each major class of ncRNA that is currently annotated in the human genome and describe how each class is assigned a standardised nomenclature.

Highlights

The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) works under the auspices of Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) and is the only worldwide authority that assigns standardised symbols and names to human genes (Braschi et al, 2019)
The HGNC endeavours to approve symbols for all classes of genes that are supported by gene annotation projects and began working on non-coding RNA nomenclature in the mid1980s with the approval of initial gene symbols for mitochondrial transfer RNA genes
The number of genes that the HGNC has named per non-coding RNA (ncRNA) class is shown in Fig 1, and ranges in number from over 4,500 long ncRNA genes and over 1,900 microRNA genes, to just four genes in the vault and Y RNA classes

Summary

Introduction

The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) works under the auspices of Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) and is the only worldwide authority that assigns standardised symbols and names to human genes (Braschi et al, 2019). The HGNC endeavours to approve symbols for all classes of genes that are supported by gene annotation projects and began working on non-coding RNA (ncRNA) nomenclature in the mid1980s with the approval of initial gene symbols for mitochondrial transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. The number of genes that the HGNC has named per ncRNA class is shown, and ranges in number from over 4,500 long ncRNA (lncRNA) genes and over 1,900 microRNA genes, to just four genes in the vault and Y RNA classes. For lncRNAs we provide specialist links to LNCipedia (Volders et al, 2019), a key lncRNA resource that displays HGNC gene symbols (Box 1). Each section has been written in collaboration with our specialist advisors for each ncRNA class: Sam Griffiths-

Vault RNAs

G A–U Y–R

F RNA host gene

Findings

Conflict of interest