Small- and large-effect quantitative trait locus interactions underlie variation in yeast sporulation efficiency.

ABSTRACT: Quantitative trait loci (QTL) with small effects on phenotypic variation can be difficult to detect and analyze. Because of this a large fraction of the genetic architecture of many complex traits is not well understood. Here we use sporulation efficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model complex trait to identify and study small-effect QTL. In crosses where the large-effect quantitative trait nucleotides (QTN) have been genetically fixed we identify small-effect QTL that explain approximately half of the remaining variation not explained by the major effects. We find that small-effect QTL are often physically linked to large-effect QTL and that there are extensive genetic interactions between small- and large-effect QTL. A more complete understanding of quantitative traits will requi

SUBMITTER: Lorenz K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3522155 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature