The muscle glycogen synthase gene (GYS1) has been associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D), the metabolic syndrome (MetS), male myocardial infarction and a defective increase in muscle glycogen synthase protein in response to exercise.
The A2 allele of the XbaI polymorphism in the GYS1 confers an increased susceptibility to different features of the metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes.