Since the earliest efforts to characterise them in the 1960s, keratin proteins have been subject to numerous revisions in their nomenclature. From their initial division into low and high sulphur proteins (the intermediate filament and keratin associated proteins respectively), more sophisticated systems evolved, in particular for the keratin intermediate filaments (KIFs). This has culminated in the recently devised consensus scheme for genes and proteins for human hair and epithelial keratins that accommodates both functional and pseudogenes (1). This new system has simplified the previous system and, while it has been gaining acceptance among scientists in the field, there has been limited uptake of it by the major international sequence databases. Furthermore, due to the lack of retroactive revision of database entries, different nomenclatures are being used concurrently, causing confusion and redundant entries.
In the case of the keratin associated proteins (KAPs), following their initial division into high and ultra-high sulphur proteins and high glycine-tyrosine proteins, a nomenclature system based on their separation by various chromatographic approaches came into use, only to be replaced by the more recent KAP system (2). Nevertheless, when dealing with non-human mammalian keratins, the KAP nomenclature presents a number of problems. For instance, there is evidence for some misnaming, the system does not provide a way of dealing with polymorphisms, and the method of identifying the species is not straightforward. We therefore wish to both summarise issues with the current system and to concurrently put forward for debate a revised system of nomenclature for the KAPs that will address these concerns. The associated workshop seeks to raise awareness of these matters and the improve the uptake of the system for the KAPs.

(1) Schweizer, et al (2006) J Cell Biol 174: 169-174.
(2) Rogers & Powell (1994) The Keratinocyte Handbook 401-496.