Discovery of DNA Mutation in White People

Researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute have discovered a stretch of DNA called 9q21 carries certain mutations in people with heart disease. The researchers found 'up to three-quarters of people of European descent have DNA that raises their risk for heart disease -- and these genes are close to a stretch of DNA linked to diabetes.' This discovery has amazing potential.

It is an area that had not previously been identified as a gene... [snip]

The findings, made by two independent groups of researchers, may help explain why so many people have heart disease even if they do not have clear risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

And they could lead to a test to predict the risk of heart disease, the biggest cause of death across the globe.

"It seems like this one place carries all of that weight for two very common and very dangerous diseases."

Both teams used a new method of combing the genome for disease genes called a genome-wide association study, which was not possible until the full human genome was published in 2003. Now scientists can map the DNA of people with a disease, compare them to this template genome or to people without a disease, and find what is different.

The two studies, using 40,000 people, found the same thing (Reuters)

This is a very important discovery and could lead to a DNA-based test for gauging inherited risk of heart attacks. You can read about the institutions involved, researchers, subjects, companies, etc. here.

Africans did not appear to carry the mutations, and in African-Americans, the mutations were not associated with heart disease risk, McPherson's team wrote.

The region is not associated with inherited tendencies to have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

But 9q21 is found near two genes called CDKN2A and CDKN2B, which four international teams of researchers last week reported they had identified in their own genome-wide association study looking for diabetes.

[Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute], said the coincidence was astonishing.

Congratulations and who knows what revelations are yet to come?
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Comments

[Grouch at Right Truth]

"where was DNA discovered along with How and Why?"

Google Watson and Crick.

[xer0]

where was DNA discovered along with How and Why?

[michael]

So white folks are genetically different, just in a bad way?

Now why do I find that ironically amusing?

[Debbie]

Thanks Terry, I didn't even think of the embryonic stem cell research when I wrote this. Where was my brain.

nanc, thanks for the tip of TMW's birthday. I'm headed over there now.

[nanc]

i always knew i was different...

o.t. - it's tmw's birthday - you are invited to the party at curtains!

[Terry Trippany]

And who would have thought that medical breakthroughs could possibly happen without embryonic stem cell research!!

I love reading about this stuff. Thanks for the great news.

Trip