Tracking a gene back to the 1630's.

A study at the University of Utah has traced back a mutant gene to 1630, when Mr and Mrs George Fry arrived in America from England. The gene adenomatous poluposis coli (APC) gene, increases chances for developing colon cancer from 2 in 3 by 80 years old, whereas the normal risk is 1 in 24. There are two branches, originating from two of the Fry’s children. One is in Upstate New York and the other in Utah. The family has over 5000 people and was studied for over 14 years. The Utah branch contributed to 0.15% of all colon cancer in the state. The gene was traced back 10 generations using familysearch.org, with another 13 families in America having the similar ‘genetic fingerprints’. DNA Sequencing was also performed using Affmetrix GneChip Human Mapping 10000 SNP arrays. This mutation has not been found in England so the mutation could have began in the originating couple. The study can be found http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B7GGW-4RB5BMC-5&_user=331728&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000016898&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=331728&md5=88d14b59c45d076550e4b3f1968fa2fe. It was published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology in January 2008. Lucy McWilliam