CGRP, which stands for calcitonin gene-related peptide neurotransmitter, has long been thought to play a role in migraines, but for much of that time for the wrong reason.

WSJ: Fresh Target in Hunt for a Migraine Cure

Another found an association between an epilepsy-related gene variant and autism.

FORBES: Are Pesticides A Key Driver Of The Autism Increase?

They found that a mutation in a related gene, 5-lipoxygenase, is present in 6% of American adults and vastly speeds up the development of atherosclerosis.

FORBES: Attacking Heart Attacks

First, when a new copy of copia inserts itself into a fly's genetic material, it may cause a deleterious mutation to a previously healthy gene (hence all the copia-related mutations detected by geneticists).

ECONOMIST: Truly selfish genes

Another reason for expecting that disease-related genes would be recently evolved is that the older a gene is, the more likely it is that errors and weaknesses that could lead to disease will have been eliminated by natural selection.

ECONOMIST: Genetic disease and evolution

This observation has led to the assumption that disease-related genes are recently evolved for the older a gene is, the more likely it is to be part of the irreducible structure of being alive, and therefore the more likely it is that breaking that gene will be fatal.

ECONOMIST: Genetic disease and evolution

The ingap gene is one of many ideas aimed at saving the nearly 170, 000 Americans who will die from diabetes-related illnesses this year.

CNN: Experimental gene therapy offers hope to diabetics