Clarifying the function of genes at the chromosome 16p13 locus in type 1 diabetes: CLEC16A and DEXI

Abstract

More than a decade after the discovery of a novel type 1 diabetes risk locus on chromosome 16p13, there remains complexity and controversy over the specific gene(s) that regulate diabetes pathogenesis. A new study by Nieves-Bonilla et al. shows that one of these genes, DEXI, is unlikely to contribute to type 1 diabetes pathogenesis and positions the endolysosomal E3 ubiquitin ligase CLEC16A as the primary culprit by which this gene locus influences diabetes risk.