On the optimization of classes for the assignment of unidentified reading frames in functional genomics programmes: the need for machine learning

At present, the assignment of function to novel genes uncovered by the systematic genome-sequencing programmes is a problem. Many studies anticipate that this can be achieved by analysing patterns of gene expression via the transcriptome, proteome and metabolome. Thus, functional genomics is, in part, an exercise in pattern classification. Because many genes have known functional classes, the problem of predicting their functional class is a supervised learning problem. However, most pattern classification methods that have been applied to the problem have been unsupervised clustering methods. Consequently, the best classification tools have not always been used. Furthermore, the present functional classes are suboptimal and new unsupervised clustering methods are needed to improve them. Better-structured functional classes will facilitate the prediction of biochemically testable functions.