Genetics Researchers Study Hereditary Characteristics of an Isolated Tribe
Suggested lead: . A study at Duke University Medical Center could end up in a textbook of genetics research. Tom Britt has more.
Friday, January 26, 2001
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Durham, N.C. -- Genetics researchers at Duke University
Medical Center have spent the past three years studying a tribe of
Native Americans in the North Carolina mountains. That's because
tribal members carry a gene that makes them susceptible to a rare
eye disease. Geneticist Dr. Jeffrey Vance says it's a rare example
of what is called "founder's effect."
"It can come from an individual who early on had a change in their DNA and this same mutation has now propagated through all the members of his offspring in many generations. We can trace it back to one person where it started."
Dr. Vance says such a "founder's effect" hereditary characteristic is usually found in groups isolated by geography, or by religious or ethnic marriage practices. This isolation makes it very valuable to genetics research, since there are far fewer variables affecting the genetic make-up of such isolated groups. I'm Tom Britt.
Vance says the discovery of a "founder's effect" genetic characteristic helps researchers looking for genetic causes of disease.
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