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Of all the chromosomes that adorn the human genetic landscape, few have as full a past as chromosome 11. Now another chapter has been added to its crowded history with the completion and analysis of its DNA sequence, reported in the March 23 issue of Nature by an international scientific team. Among the findings are an unusually heavy burden of genes on the chromosome, which is already implicated in more than 150 human diseases, and a technique for predicting genes that may help researchers to more accurately inventory the contents of the human genome.

Scavenging can turn up some surprising finds, even in the human genome. Comparing the DNA of several different animals, including the opossum and the chicken, a team of scientists has sifted through our own genetic clutter and stumbled upon some unexpected jewels. These may hold important clues for understanding the most fundamental components of the human genome.