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    GeneRIF: Gene Reference into Function

    GeneRIF provides a simple mechanism to allow scientists to add to the functional annotation of genes described in Gene. To be processed, a valid Gene ID must exist for the specific gene, or the Gene staff must have assigned an overall Gene ID to the species. The latter case is implemented via records in Gene with the symbol NEWENTRY. Once the Gene ID is identified, only three types of information are required to complete a submission:

    1. a concise phrase describing a function or functions (less than 255 characters in length, the title of the paper will not be accepted)
    2. a published paper describing that function, implemented by supplying the PubMed ID of a citation in PubMed;
    3. a valid e-mail address (which will remain confidential).

    Access to the submission form is provided from the Bibliography section of the Gene default report view, so you don't have to retype the Gene ID or other identifiers (details below).

    GeneRIFs are intended to facilitate access to publications documenting experiments that add to our understanding of a gene and its function. Reports based solely on computational analyses are not in scope.

    To suggest CORRECTIONS or UPDATES for GeneRIFs, Reference Sequences, or Gene records, please use the separate update form.

    Sample GeneRIFs are provided here.

    The steps to submit a GeneRIF include:

    1. Query PubMed to identify the PubMed ID for the reference.
    2. Query Gene to find the record for the gene.
    3. Display the desired gene's report page by selecting that record from the query results list.
    4. In the grey bar below the GeneRIF box, select New GeneRIF.
    5. Enter the PubMed ID in the correct box.
    6. Add your description of the function of the gene or its protein product.
    7. Enter your e-mail address.
    8. Press the Validate button to validate your entry. The PubMed ID value you entered will be verified and the author, title, and citation will be displayed for review.
    9. When all is correct, press Submit to store the GeneRIF.

    Each submission is acknowledged using the e-mail address that was entered. The text of the GeneRIF is reviewed for inappropriate content and typographical errors, but is not otherwise edited.

    After review, newly-submitted GeneRIFs are included as soon as possible in the Bibliography section of the Gene report page. GeneRIFs are also available via FTP at ftp://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/gene/GeneRIF/.

    Statistics summarizing GeneRIF submissions, affected Gene records, and publications are available here.

    NOTE:
    Most of the GeneRIFs available through Gene are provided by the staff of the National Library of Medicine's Index Section, who have advanced degrees in the life sciences.