Evidence Codes for the Gene Ontology (GO)

This table presents the evidence codes used by the Gene Ontology^TM Consortium, with examples of the types of experiments, data, or statements that are included by each code. The evidence code is linked with a specific GO annotation and literature reference to describe what type of evidence was present in that reference to make the annotation. Additional information about the GO Evidence Codes is available in documentation on the GO site, in GO Evidence Codes .

Code Definition Examples
IDA Inferred from Direct Assay
Enzyme assays
In vitro reconstitution
Immunofluorescence
Cell fractionation
Physical interaction/binding assay.
IEA Inferred from Electronic Annotation
Annotations based on "hits" in sequence similarity searches, not curator-reviewed.
IEP Inferred from Expression Pattern
Transcript levels [e.g. Northerns, microarray data]
Protein levels [e.g. Western blots].
IGI Inferred from Genetic Interaction
Traditional genetic interactions such as suppressors, synthetic lethals, etc.
Functional complementation
Rescue experiments.
IMP Inferred from Mutant Phenotype
Any gene mutation/knockout
Overexpression/ectopic expression of wild-type or mutant genes
Anti-sense experiments
Specific protein inhibitors.
IPI Inferred from Physical Interaction
2-hybrid interactions
Co-purification
Co-immunoprecipitation
Ion/protein binding experiments.
ISS Inferred from Sequence or structural Similarity
Sequence similarity [homolog of/most closely related to]
Recognized domains
Structural similarity
Southern blotting.
NAS Non-traceable Author Statement
Database entries that do not cite a paper [e.g. SwissProt records]
Statements in papers [abstract, introduction, or discussion] that a curator cannot trace to another publication.
ND N o Biological Data Available
Used for annotations to unknown molecular function, biological process, or cellular component.
TAS Traceable Author Statement
Anything in a review article where the original experiments are traceable through that article, or in a textbook or dictionary [if it can be considered 'common knowledge'].

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Code	Definition	Examples
IDA	Inferred from Direct Assay	Enzyme assays In vitro reconstitution Immunofluorescence Cell fractionation Physical interaction/binding assay.
IEA	Inferred from Electronic Annotation	Annotations based on "hits" in sequence similarity searches, not curator-reviewed.
IEP	Inferred from Expression Pattern	Transcript levels [e.g. Northerns, microarray data] Protein levels [e.g. Western blots].
IGI	Inferred from Genetic Interaction	Traditional genetic interactions such as suppressors, synthetic lethals, etc. Functional complementation Rescue experiments.
IMP	Inferred from Mutant Phenotype	Any gene mutation/knockout Overexpression/ectopic expression of wild-type or mutant genes Anti-sense experiments Specific protein inhibitors.
IPI	Inferred from Physical Interaction	2-hybrid interactions Co-purification Co-immunoprecipitation Ion/protein binding experiments.
ISS	Inferred from Sequence or structural Similarity	Sequence similarity [homolog of/most closely related to] Recognized domains Structural similarity Southern blotting.
NAS	Non-traceable Author Statement	Database entries that do not cite a paper [e.g. SwissProt records] Statements in papers [abstract, introduction, or discussion] that a curator cannot trace to another publication.
ND	N o Biological Data Available	Used for annotations to unknown molecular function, biological process, or cellular component.
TAS	Traceable Author Statement	Anything in a review article where the original experiments are traceable through that article, or in a textbook or dictionary [if it can be considered 'common knowledge'].


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