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The current reckoning in a genetic database called Ensembl
estimates that humans have 24,847 genes.
 However,
it is still uncertain whether that estimate is accurate, according
to researchers.
Genes are regions of DNA that code for proteins. Recognizing
genes has proved to be more complicated than expected. One
reason why recognizing genes is so challenging is because
predictor programs, which trawl through DNA for landmark sequences
characteristic of a gene, are known to be unreliable.
Back-up evidence can also be misleading. For instance, a
putative human gene is considered more likely to be real if
it matches one in gene databases from mouse, fruit fly or
other organisms. However, an unknown number of human genes
have no obvious match.
The estimated number of human genes will likely rise again
to over 30,000, according to researchers.
Nature
June 3, 2003
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