What is gene ontology?
An ontology is a way to formulate relationships within a body of knowledge (1). Gene Ontology (GO) is a online database that aims to collect information on gene function from numerous species (2). GO began as a project that sought to use a common jargon to describe genetic function (3). It quickly evolved into a tool for analyzing genetic data of homologous genes of multiple species. Molecular function, cellular function, and biological process are the three main subsets that GO made to categorize the function of gene products (1).
Molecular Function: The effect the gene product has on molecular processes.
Cellular Function: Location within the cell relative to cellular components (e.g. mitochondria, cytoplasm, nucleus)
Biological Process: The larger cellular process that the gene product takes part in.
Molecular Function: The effect the gene product has on molecular processes.
Cellular Function: Location within the cell relative to cellular components (e.g. mitochondria, cytoplasm, nucleus)
Biological Process: The larger cellular process that the gene product takes part in.
ALDH2 at the molecular level
ALDH2 acts as an aldehyde dehydrogenase that functions as a catalyst in the reduction of acetaldehyde (4). ALDH2*1 is the wild-type allele of ALDH2.
ALDH2 at the cellular level
According to the Human Protein Atlas, ALDH2 is found throughout the cell (5). However, Pubmed claims that it is localized to the mitochondrial matrix and exosomes (6).
ALDH2 in biological processes
ALDH2 main role occurs in the ethanol degradation pathway, but it has been known to act in place of other aldehyde dehydrogenases in other pathways (6).
References:
1)http://geneontology.org/docs/ontology-documentation/
2)http://geneontology.org/docs/introduction-to-go-resource/
3)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3037419/
4)https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/ALDH2#synonyms
5)https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000111275-ALDH2/cell#rna
6)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/217#gene-ontology
Pictures:
Header: https://www.newscientist.com/term/dna/
1)http://geneontology.org/docs/ontology-documentation/
2)http://geneontology.org/docs/introduction-to-go-resource/
3)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3037419/
4)https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/ALDH2#synonyms
5)https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000111275-ALDH2/cell#rna
6)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/217#gene-ontology
Pictures:
Header: https://www.newscientist.com/term/dna/