Gene Mutation May Identify Type 1 Diabetes

A study of 1000 diabetic families identified a new gene mutation?called SUMO-4?as a contributorto juvenile diabetes. The discovery will increase the accuracy of existing newborn diabetesscreening, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Researchers at the MedicalCollege of Georgia, who found SUMO-4, are conducting a second study that will enroll about 5000children with type 1 diabetes and their relatives. Furthermore, the researchers are screening 40,000newborns in Augusta, Atlanta, and Athens (Ga), and in Aiken (SC) to determine those with high-riskgenes for diabetes. The researchers intend to follow children with such genes for 15 to 20 years.(The findings were reported in Nature Genetics, July 11, 2004.)