A standard nomenclature for gene designation in the Rosaceae

The plant family Rosaceae is comprised of a highly diverse group of plants, with a wide range of ornamental and agricultural uses throughout the world. Comparative genomic analyses between rosaceous species are increasingly being used to assign putative function. With the wealth of new data, there is a need to standardize nomenclature to ensure uniformity and clarity across research groups. The Rosaceae Gene Name Standardization Committee was formed to develop a naming guideline for genes in Rosaceae family members. This manuscript details the issues involved with naming genes and proposes a common nomenclature system. The Genome Database for Rosaceae (GDR) (www.rosaceae.org) has developed a gene database that will support user-submitted gene names and annotations in addition to the predicted genes from whole genome sequences. GDR also hosts user-curated lists of gene class symbols. To facilitate standardization of gene names and avoid misinterpretation, the committee recommends that the GDR serve as the database of record for the names of Rosaceae genes and that gene names, gene class symbols, and gene annotation be registered in GDR prior to publication in peer reviewed journals.