The other team, from Celera Genomics in Rockville, Maryland, has its findings published in Friday's issue of Science. Both groups feel the actual number lies somewhere in between, but were stunned by the low numbers nonetheless. It seems to be some kind of affront to human dignity. Scientists are not really sure why humans are so much more complex than fruit flies, but they stress that the sheer number of genes is just a starting point for creating complexity. Most genes work by telling the body which proteins to create, and genes in humans are more likely to give rise to multiple proteins than just one.
Human proteins are more versatile, say scientists.
The timing of when genes turn on and off, and in what tissues they are active, can also make a big difference in their effect, say scientists. Both groups claim that their study has already helped scientists find genes that promote disease. The paper by the consortium lists 30 genes found with the help of its data, and Celera's database has led to similar findings. Scientists can now quickly focus on studying a new gene rather than having to spend lots of time tracking it down, he said. The consortium confirmed a recent finding that men create inheritable mutations at about twice the rate of women.