Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability
<p>Abstract</p> <p/> <p>A number of recent works have introduced statistical methods for detecting genetic loci that affect phenotypic variability, which we refer to as variability-controlling quantitative trait loci (vQTL). These are genetic variants whose allelic state pred...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2012-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Genetics |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/13/63 |
| _version_ | 1818216601190662144 |
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| author | Rönnegård Lars Valdar William |
| author_facet | Rönnegård Lars Valdar William |
| author_sort | Rönnegård Lars |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p/> <p>A number of recent works have introduced statistical methods for detecting genetic loci that affect phenotypic variability, which we refer to as variability-controlling quantitative trait loci (vQTL). These are genetic variants whose allelic state predicts how much phenotype values will vary about their expected means. Such loci are of great potential interest in both human and non-human genetic studies, one reason being that a detected vQTL could represent a previously undetected interaction with other genes or environmental factors. The simultaneous publication of these new methods in different journals has in many cases precluded opportunity for comparison. We survey some of these methods, the respective trade-offs they imply, and the connections between them. The methods fall into three main groups: classical non-parametric, fully parametric, and semi-parametric two-stage approximations. Choosing between alternatives involves balancing the need for robustness, flexibility, and speed. For each method, we identify important assumptions and limitations, including those of practical importance, such as their scope for including covariates and random effects. We show in simulations that both parametric methods and their semi-parametric approximations can give elevated false positive rates when they ignore mean-variance relationships intrinsic to the data generation process. We conclude that choice of method depends on the trait distribution, the need to include non-genetic covariates, and the population size and structure, coupled with a critical evaluation of how these fit with the assumptions of the statistical model.</p> |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-639ad4e0b67440b5ae442c3dc1605316 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2156 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T06:54:34Z |
| publishDate | 2012-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Genetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-639ad4e0b67440b5ae442c3dc16053162022-12-22T00:33:59ZengBMCBMC Genetics1471-21562012-07-011316310.1186/1471-2156-13-63Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variabilityRönnegård LarsValdar William<p>Abstract</p> <p/> <p>A number of recent works have introduced statistical methods for detecting genetic loci that affect phenotypic variability, which we refer to as variability-controlling quantitative trait loci (vQTL). These are genetic variants whose allelic state predicts how much phenotype values will vary about their expected means. Such loci are of great potential interest in both human and non-human genetic studies, one reason being that a detected vQTL could represent a previously undetected interaction with other genes or environmental factors. The simultaneous publication of these new methods in different journals has in many cases precluded opportunity for comparison. We survey some of these methods, the respective trade-offs they imply, and the connections between them. The methods fall into three main groups: classical non-parametric, fully parametric, and semi-parametric two-stage approximations. Choosing between alternatives involves balancing the need for robustness, flexibility, and speed. For each method, we identify important assumptions and limitations, including those of practical importance, such as their scope for including covariates and random effects. We show in simulations that both parametric methods and their semi-parametric approximations can give elevated false positive rates when they ignore mean-variance relationships intrinsic to the data generation process. We conclude that choice of method depends on the trait distribution, the need to include non-genetic covariates, and the population size and structure, coupled with a critical evaluation of how these fit with the assumptions of the statistical model.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/13/63 |
| spellingShingle | Rönnegård Lars Valdar William Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability BMC Genetics |
| title | Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability |
| title_full | Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability |
| title_fullStr | Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability |
| title_short | Recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability |
| title_sort | recent developments in statistical methods for detecting genetic loci affecting phenotypic variability |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2156/13/63 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ronnegardlars recentdevelopmentsinstatisticalmethodsfordetectinggeneticlociaffectingphenotypicvariability AT valdarwilliam recentdevelopmentsinstatisticalmethodsfordetectinggeneticlociaffectingphenotypicvariability |