Several genome wide association studies used tens of thousands of STRs to investigate the genetic basis of hypertension, narcolepsy, anorexia nervosa, mandibular prognathism, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes and prostate cancer41–47.The known susceptibility gene for rheumatoid arthritis HLA-DRB1 was successfully confirmed and two new candidates (TNXB and NOTCH4)43 were identified through a combination of STR and SNP analysis. The gene discussed is TNXB; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.