Platypus genome explains animal's peculiar features; holds clues to evolution of mammals

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Photo courtesy Warrawong Sanctuary
Photo courtesy Warrawong Sanctuary

The duck-billed platypus: part bird, part reptile, part mammal -- and the genome to prove it. An international consortium of scientists, led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has decoded the genome of the platypus, showing that the animal's peculiar mix of features is reflected in its DNA. An analysis of the genome, published today in the journal Nature, can help scientists piece together a more complete picture of the evolution of all mammals, including humans.


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