In a recent finding at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)
in Hyderabad, scientists have discovered that Indian population carry a
different set of mutations in the genes responsible for irregular lipid
metabolism and type-2 diabetes.
“This is a major finding that
could help trace the human origin and genetic basis of diseases in the
Indian population. It will also be useful in designing strategies to
intervene or cure diseases,” says CCMB director Dr Ch Mohan Rao.
The
CCMB has also found that India has two sets of ancestral populations.
One related to south and west Asia, Middle East, and the Caucasus, while
the other is not related to any group and confined to south Asia. The
late group is responsible or more than 50 per cent of ancestry in Indian
populations.
The scientists have also found novel genetic
mutations associated with certain neuro-generative disorders,
cardio-myopathies and male infertility in Indian population. The
mutations have been found in mitochondrial DNA which is inherited from
the mother, unlike the chromosomal DNA, inherited from both the parents.
Mitochondrion plays an important role in cellular energy metabolism. In
the past decade, genetic variations in mitochondrial DNA have been
linked with various disorders, particularly neurological.
Dr K
Thangaraj who led the team of scientists at CCMB conducted the study in
collaboration with the University of Tart, Estonia, the Chetindad
Academy of Research and Education, Chennai, and the Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi.
Earlier in 2007, Dr K Thangaraj had
received the first Major UK-India Education and Research Initiative
(UKIERI) Award. The UKIERI award is aimed to promote the innovative
research and academic excellence between the two countries India and UK.
The
team reported the new genome-wide data for 142 samples from 30 ethnic
groups of India. The researchers found that genes like MSTN, DOK5 and
CLOCK have potential implications in lipid metabolism and type-2
diabetes. “The elements of population structures and genes are likely to
bear relevance for medial genetic studies on population of South Asia,
which harbours one-sixth of the human population,” revealed the
researchers.
Over the past few years, CCMB has been undertaking
studies on population genetics to trace human origin and genetic basis
of diseases in Indian populations.
