Final answer:
In biological nomenclature, gene names are in italics with dominant alleles in uppercase and recessive in lowercase; underlining in handwritten notes is optional. Protein names start with a capital letter without italics, and underlining is optional. Adherence to specific guidelines within the relevant scientific discipline is recommended for accuracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Biology, there are specific nomenclature conventions for naming genes and proteins. For genes, it is customary to use italics when typing. Dominant alleles are denoted with uppercase letters, while recessive alleles are represented with lowercase letters. For instance, the dominant trait 'mackerel tabby' would be indicated as 'Mc' and the recessive 'classic tabby' as 'mc'. In handwritten notes, underlining gene names to indicate italics is optional, so you would write Mc/mc or Mc/Mc for a mackerel tabby cat.
When it comes to proteins, the names always start with a capital letter and do not require italics. Proteins like interleukin-2 and alpha-2u-globulin exemplify this rule. Underlining in handwritten notes for protein names is also optional.
It is important to note that while these are standard conventions, specific guidelines vary across different fields of scientific research. It is always best to refer to the specific conventions of your particular discipline.