Next-Gen GWAS: full 2D epistatic interaction maps retrieve part of missing heritability and improve phenotypic prediction.

ABSTRACT: The problem of missing heritability requires the consideration of genetic interactions among different loci, called epistasis. Current GWAS statistical models require years to assess the entire combinatorial epistatic space for a single phenotype. We propose Next-Gen GWAS (NGG) that evaluates over 60 billion single nucleotide polymorphism combinatorial first-order interactions within hours. We apply NGG to Arabidopsis thaliana providing two-dimensional epistatic maps at gene resolution. We demonstrate on several phenotypes that a large proportion of the missing heritability can be retrieved, that it indeed lies in epistatic interactions, and that it can be used to improve phenotype prediction.

SUBMITTER: Carre C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10962106 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature