Note that, in addition to forming the root of the molecular function ontology, this term is recommended for use for the annotation of gene products whose molecular function is unknown. When this term is used for annotation, it indicates that no information was available about the molecular function of the gene product annotated as of the date the annotation was made; the evidence code 'no data' (ND), is used to indicate this. Despite its name, this is not a type of 'function' in the sense typically defined by upper ontologies such as Basic Formal Ontology (BFO). It is instead a BFO:process carried out by a single gene product or complex.

A molecular process that can be carried out by the action of a single macromolecular machine, usually via direct physical interactions with other molecular entities. Function in this sense denotes an action, or activity, that a gene product (or a complex) performs. These actions are described from two distinct but related perspectives: (1) biochemical activity, and (2) role as a component in a larger system/process.