Putative gene

It refers to a nucleotide sequence believed to be a gene because of its open reading frame although its function and the protein it codes for has not been (fully) identified [1]. For example, putative gene 57 is the (temporary) name suggested for the gene coding for a protein produced by Bacteriophage SP01 that infects the bacterium Bacillus subtilis [2]. Another example: PTEN, a putative protein tyrosine phosphatase gene mutated in some cancers [3].

Bibliographic references:

[1] Biology-online.org. (2014). Putative - Biology-Online Dictionary. [online] Available at: http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Putative [Accessed 26 Jun. 2016].

[2] Stewart CR, Gaslightwala I, Hinata K, Krolikowski KA, Needleman DS, Peng AS, et al. Genes and regulatory sites of the "host-takeover module" in the terminal redundancy of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPO1. Virology. 1998 Jul 5; 246 (2): 329-40. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/viro.1998.9197.

[3] Li J, Yen C, Liaw D, Podsypanina K, Bose S, Wang SI, et al. PTEN, a putative protein tyrosine phosphatase gene mutated in human brain, breast, and prostate cancer. Science. 1997 Mar 28;275(5308):1943-7. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.275.5308.1943.