Where are the Xenopus Gene Nomenclature Guidelines?

The Xenopus Gene Nomenclature Guidelines can be found here. These guidelines were created to coincide with the Human Gene Nomenclature guidelines, and have been approved by the Xenopus Nomenclature Committee (XNC).

I have found a new gene, how do I name it?

Congratulations! In establishing a name for new genes, a few pieces of information are important. Any sequences that you can provide and/or accession numbers are helpful. This helps to verify that the gene is novel not only in Xenopus, but other species. Second, gene function/expresion data can also be useful. This helps to identify the type of gene that has been discovered, and help to group it with established gene families. This data could include protein sequence, expression profiles, in situ images, as well as other data. Finally, you are the discoverer, what would you like to call it? Keep in mind that the name and symbol must be unique among all species, must conform to our gene nomenclature guidelines, and should be informative as to the function or role of the gene.

How do I request a gene name change?

Sometimes provisional names or even fully accepted gene names are neither informative nor accurate. In these cases, for example, gene names can be changed. Please provide us with the gene in question, a new name/symbol , and any evidence and reasoning for the name change.

I have a question about orthologs outside of Xenopus, can you help?

Yes we can. We routinely work with other model organism databases to collaborate on gene names. If you have any questions about whether two genes in different species are orthologs, or any other ortholog questions, please let us know.