The South Asian genome. South Asian genome

The genetic sequence variation of people from the Indian subcontinent who comprise one-quarter of the world’s population, is not well described. We carried out whole genome sequencing of 168 South Asians, along with whole-exome sequencing of 147 South Asians to provide deeper characterisation of coding regions. The data provides the first comprehensive map of genetic variation in this major human population. Our results will accelerate the search for the genetic variants underlying susceptibility to disorders such as type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease which are highly prevalent amongst South Asians.