Asthma gene mutation discovered on island
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Researchers have identified a mutated gene that makes people susceptible to asthma, having discovered it on one of the world's most isolated islands.
Sequana Therapeutics analysed DNA from about 300 people on Tristan da Cunha, an island in the south Atlantic, about 1,500 miles from South Africa. About 30 per cent of the island's residents have asthma, apparently passed on from an original settler.
The pinpointing of the mutated genes eventually could help identify people at risk of getting sick, and also could suggest new drugs for treatment.
"We found a difference - a change in that DNA that is different in people who have asthma than those that don't have the disease," said Bob Giargiari, of San Diego-based Sequana.
The researchers said that, of the estimated 15 million Americans with asthma, up to 10 per cent seemed to have a genetic predisposition to the disease.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments