Nonsynonymous SNP scan for ulcerative colitis identified a previously unknown susceptibility locus at ECM1 and showed that several risk loci were common to ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (IL23R, IL12B, HLA, NKX2-3 and MST1), whereas autophagy genes ATG16L1 and IRGM along with NOD2 were specific for Crohn's disease [11]. The gene discussed is IRGM; the disease is ulcerative colitis.