Indian Geneticists discover genes responsibile for cataract

Amritsar, June 11 (UNI) Geneticists at the Centre for Genetic Disorders of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) have identified three genes that lead to cataract among the Indian population.

The findings were the result of 30 years of hard labour in the field of ophthalmology. The three genes identified by GNDU scientists cause fanshaped cataract, cerulean cataract and sutural cataract.

The research team led by Prof Jai Rup Singh, who is the Coordinator of the centre included Dr Daljit Singh, an ophthalmologist of international repute, scientists from National Institute of health, USA, and from Insitute of Human Genetics, Berlin (Germany), as members.

While releasing his prestigious research work among mediapersons here today, Dr Jai Rup Singh said this research had been carried out on congenital cataract for the past 30 years. He said, the Centre which maintains one of the largest DNA databases in the world for congenital cataract, collected the DNA samples from more than 2,400 persons suffering from genetic disease of the eye.

He said, the DNA analysis on these cases was initiated in 1990. At present the DNA analysis on more than 70 families with congenitial cataract is still in progress.

An eminent scientist of international repute, Dr Singh said congenital cataract affects about three per 10,000 newborns and is one of the significant causes of blindness in children and leads to life-long visual disability. He said that the members of these families were observed for a period of 3-5 years.

This discovery in mentioned in scientific journals worldwide, it appeared in the May 22 issue of the prestigious journal of USA, Molecular Vision. He said the first breakthrough came in 2001 when two new genes were identified. Now three new genes have been located in the Indian families.

He said, the identification of the defect at the DNA level would ultimately facilitate in the identification of the exact causative agent for congenital cataract. He said the novel type of cataract has been named as 'fan-shaped' cataract.

The cataract was found in a child and tests of over 19 members of the child's family from over four generations revealed the causative gene.

Dr Jai Rup Singh further said that the other discoveries related to cerulean cataract and sutural cataract, also pertain to two new loci for two types of congenital cataract.

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