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'TUFs' - transcripts of unknown function It is now recognised that the number of genuine RNAs which are non-coding and for which there is no functional information is enormous (e.g. Cheng et al, Bertone et al ). They are sometimes referred to as 'TUFs' - transcripts of unknown function. Currently the HGNC is not routinely naming these objects as there is no standard nomenclature. However a few authors have requested symbols for particular TUFs of interest. The following possibilities have been suggested; the root symbol TUF, or the non-coding RNA equivalent of a C$orf# symbol (C$tuf#). The options are: 1) TUF#, transcript of unknown function # The symbol would be given only when requested, and numbers allocated in order of assignment, TUF1, TUF2 etc. If this option is chosen it would in principle be possible to name homologous mouse Tuf#s in parallel. 2) C$tuf#, chromosome $ transcript of unknown function # The symbol would be given only when requested, and includes chromosome eg C9tuf1, C9tuf2. This would be the exact equivalent of the C$orf# nomenclature, but would not allow for homologous human and mouse TUFs to be named equivalently. Such symbols are placeholders which would be expected to change when more is known. Another possibility would be the use of a different stem symbol. Please email us at hgnc@genenames.org with your preference for option 1 or 2, or to make an alternative proposal. References Cheng J, Kapranov P, Drenkow J, Dike S, Brubaker S, Patel S, Long J, Stern D, Tammana H, Helt G, Sementchenko V, Piccolboni A, Bekiranov S, Bailey DK, Ganesh M, Ghosh S, Bell I, Gerhard DS, Gingeras TR. Transcriptional maps of 10 human chromosomes at 5-nucleotide resolution. Science. 2005 May 20;308(5725):1149-54. Epub 2005 Mar 24. PMID: 15790807 Bertone P, Stolc V, Royce TE, Rozowsky JS, Urban AE, Zhu X, Rinn JL, Tongprasit W, Samanta M, Weissman S, Gerstein M, Snyder M. Global identification of human transcribed sequences with genome tiling arrays. Science. 2004 Dec 24;306(5705):2242-6. Epub 2004 Nov 11. PMID: 15539566
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'TUFs' - transcripts of unknown function

It is now recognised that the number of genuine RNAs which are non-coding and for which there is no functional information is enormous (e.g. Cheng et al, Bertone et al ). They are sometimes referred to as 'TUFs' - transcripts of unknown function. Currently the HGNC is not routinely naming these objects as there is no standard nomenclature. However a few authors have requested symbols for particular TUFs of interest.

The following possibilities have been suggested; the root symbol TUF, or the non-coding RNA equivalent of a C$orf# symbol (C$tuf#).

The options are:

1) TUF#, transcript of unknown function #

The symbol would be given only when requested, and numbers allocated in order of assignment, TUF1, TUF2 etc. If this option is chosen it would in principle be possible to name homologous mouse Tuf#s in parallel.

2) C$tuf#, chromosome $ transcript of unknown function #

The symbol would be given only when requested, and includes chromosome eg C9tuf1, C9tuf2. This would be the exact equivalent of the C$orf# nomenclature, but would not allow for homologous human and mouse TUFs to be named equivalently.

Such symbols are placeholders which would be expected to change when more is known.

Another possibility would be the use of a different stem symbol.

Please email us at hgnc@genenames.org with your preference for option 1 or 2, or to make an alternative proposal.

References
Cheng J, Kapranov P, Drenkow J, Dike S, Brubaker S, Patel S, Long J, Stern D, Tammana H, Helt G, Sementchenko V, Piccolboni A, Bekiranov S, Bailey DK, Ganesh M, Ghosh S, Bell I, Gerhard DS, Gingeras TR. Transcriptional maps of 10 human chromosomes at 5-nucleotide resolution. Science. 2005 May 20;308(5725):1149-54. Epub 2005 Mar 24. PMID: 15790807

Bertone P, Stolc V, Royce TE, Rozowsky JS, Urban AE, Zhu X, Rinn JL, Tongprasit W, Samanta M, Weissman S, Gerstein M, Snyder M. Global identification of human transcribed sequences with genome tiling arrays. Science. 2004 Dec 24;306(5705):2242-6. Epub 2004 Nov 11. PMID: 15539566