These observations were expanded by Monnier et al. (4) who found that as HbA1c levels increase with duration of type 2 diabetes in patients not treated with insulin, diurnal glycaemic control is lost in progressive steps – first during postprandial periods, then in the morning period (during the ‘dawn phenomenon’ of rising blood glucose), and then in the nocturnal fasting period. The gene discussed is INS; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.