Dear Sarah, Christos, Gerry, and Francois, The mind-bomb gene (FBgn0036558) is in FlyBase at the moment with both a symbol and full name of 'mind-bomb'. This is not terribly satisfactory \- it ought to have a short symbol. In papers and abstracts it has been referred to as D-mib, and (in this year's EDRC abstract book) as Mib1. Valid symbols are not prefixed with D for Drosophila, and mib is already in existence as a symbol for FBgn0002744 ('miniature bristles') so we (FB) haven't been able to use mib as the symbol. Mib1 as a symbol is unique \- though it has only this year appeared in an abstract. Gene symbols should only be capitalised when they are named for a product or molecular characteristic and I have a feeling that the 'mind-bomb' name comes from a phenotypic characteristic (correct me if I'm wrong here). mib1 is also available, so perhaps the best solution would be to change the symbol from 'mind-bomb' to 'mib1' and full name from 'mind-bomb' to 'mind bomb 1'. That seems lucid, do you agree? If not, is there a better solution that everyone might be in favor of? It is unusual to change symbols/names in FB, and we only do it if there is agreement by everyone working on the gene at the time \- so it is with some trepidation I start the debate, but it is time that the gene got a decent symbol \- I think we'd all agree on that. With best regards, Rachel. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rachel Drysdale. FlyBase (Cambridge), ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Re: mind-bomb gene symbol Dear Rachel, Francois, Sarah and Gerry I agree with the name mib1 \- especially since there exists a mind bomb paralogue (CG17492), which could accordingly be named mib2. Alternatively, similar mammalian genes are named mind bomb and skeletrophin, respectively (by BLASTP on mouse proteins), so we could use the names mind bomb1 and skeletrophin for the Drosophila genes. I tend to favour the simpler mib1, mib2 terminology, which is directly indicative of their structural similarity. Best regards Christos ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Christos Delidakis Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, FoRTH Vassilika Vouton GR-71110, Heraklion, Greece Subject: Re: mind-bomb gene symbol Dear Rachel, I agree with your suggestion to name the mind-bomb gene (FBgn0036558): 'mind bomb 1'/'mib1' (full name/abbreviation). This nomenclature would particularly make sense if we could also have CG17492 named: 'mind bomb 2'/'mib2' as suggested by Christos. Can we decide on this also now? Best, Francois Subject: Re: mind-bomb gene symbol I agree with renaming 'mind bomb 1'/'mib1' and 'mind bomb2'/'mib2'. regards, eric Eric Lai Assistant Member, Sloan-Kettering Institute 521 Rockefeller Research Labs 1275 York Avenue, Box 252 New York, NY 10021 Subject: Re: mind-bomb gene symbol No objections, suggestions are fine with me, S.
