Sm and Sm-like (LSm) proteins form donut-shaped, ubiquitously expressed heptameric complexes that are involved in various steps of RNA metabolism, including RNA-protein interactions and structural changes that are required during ribosomal subunit assembly. LSm11 is a 360 amino acid protein that localizes to the nucleus and belongs to the LSm subfamily of snRNP Sm proteins. Containing an N-terminal domain that is necessary for pre-mRNA cleavage, LSm11 functions to binds specifically to U7 snRNA and is thought to play a role in cell cycle regulation and cell growth. The gene encoding LSm11 maps to human chromosome 5, which contains 181 million base pairs and comprises nearly 6% of the human genome. Deletion of the p arm of chromosome 5 leads to Cri du chat syndrome, while deletion of the q arm or of chromosome 5 altogether is common in therapy-related acute myelogenous leukemias and myelodysplastic syndrome.