title: Gene characterization index: assessing the depth of gene annotation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We introduce the Gene Characterization Index, a bioinformatics method for scoring the extent to which a protein-encoding gene is functionally described. Inherently a reflection of human perception, the Gene Characterization Index is applied for assessing the characterization status of individual genes, thus serving the advancement of both genome annotation and applied genomics research by rapid and unbiased identification of groups of uncharacterized genes for diverse applications such as directed functional studies and delineation of novel drug targets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scoring procedure is based on a global survey of researchers, who assigned characterization scores from 1 (poor) to 10 (extensive) for a sample of genes based on major online resources. By evaluating the survey as training data, we developed a bioinformatics procedure to assign gene characterization scores to all genes in the human genome. We analyzed snapshots of functional genome annotation over a period of 6 years to assess temporal changes reflected by the increase of the average Gene Characterization Index. Applying the Gene Characterization Index to genes within pharmaceutically relevant classes, we confirmed known drug targets as high-scoring genes and revealed potentially interesting novel targets with low characterization indexes. Removing known drug targets and genes linked to sequence-related patent filings from the entirety of indexed genes, we identified sets of low-scoring genes particularly suited for further experimental investigation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Gene Characterization Index is intended to serve as a tool to the scientific community and granting agencies for focusing resources and efforts on unexplored areas of the genome. The Gene Characterization Index is available from http://cisreg.ca/gci/.
authors.affiliation: Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kemmer
authors.forename: Raf M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Podowski
authors.forename: Dimas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yusuf
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brumm
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wahlestedt
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenhard
authors.forename: Wyeth W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wasserman
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans