Studying the Prevalence of Mitochondrial tRNAleu Gene Mutation in Iraqi Population

ABSTRACT: Several studies reported the role of mitochondrial gene mutations in the development of this study conducted to determine the incidence of point mutation A3243G RNALeu (UUR) in diabetes pateints within the Iraqi population and campare it with that reported in other populations. Peripheral blood were collected from 100 patients attended university of Al-Mustansiriyah / national centre for the treatment of diabetes and research. The age, gender, family history, hypertension, retinopathy, nephropathy and smoking in addition to the body mass index, are the information collected from The pateints. The DNA was extracted and by PCR-RFLP method and PCR-sequencing methods, the tRNALeu (UUR) gene screened for A3243G revealed that none of the 100 patients were found to carry the A3243G mutation in the mitochondrial tRNALeu (UUR) gene in the homoplasmic or in the heteroplasmic form. Depending on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the A3243G mutation in mitochondrial tRNALeu (UUR) is not a frequent cause of diabetes in the Iraqi population contrary to other reported populations. And further screening of an enlarged group is necessary to fully determine the prevalence of this mutation in this population.