Diabetes Metab J.  2011 Apr;35(2):91-100. 10.4093/dmj.2011.35.2.91.

The Importance of Global Studies of the Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes

• McCarthy M

• KMID: 2281706
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2011.35.2.91

Abstract

Genome wide association analyses have revealed large numbers of common variants influencing predisposition to type 2 diabetes and related phenotypes. These studies have predominantly featured European populations, but are now being extended to samples from a wider range of ethnic groups. The transethnic analysis of association data is already providing insights into the genetic, molecular and biological causes of diabetes, and the relevance of such studies will increase as human discovery genetics increasingly moves towards sequencing-based approaches and a focus on low frequency and rare variants.

Keyword

Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Fine-mapping; Genetics; Genome-wide association; Multiethnic; Resequencing; Transethnic

MeSH Terms

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Ethnic Groups
Genome
Humans
Molecular Biology
Phenotype

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Common variants (A) will typically have arisen prior to the modern human exodus from Africa, and will be widely represented amongst non-African populations. In contrast, lower-frequency alleles (B) will usually be of more recent origin, and to have arisen during the diaspora: such alleles will not be widely-represented, and may be restricted to a particular population.

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