Genome-wide epistatic expression quantitative trait loci discovery in four human tissues reveals the importance of local chromosomal interactions governing gene expression.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epistasis (synergistic interaction) among SNPs governing gene expression is likely to arise within transcriptional networks. However, the power to detect it is limited by the large number of combinations to be tested and the modest sample sizes of most datasets. By limiting the interaction search space firstly to cis-trans and then cis-cis SNP pairs where both SNPs had an independent effect on the expression of the most variable transcripts in the liver and brain, we greatly reduced the size of the search space.

Results

Within the cis-trans search space we discovered three transcripts with significant epistasis. Surprisingly, all interacting SNP pairs were located nearby each other on the chromosome (within 290 kb-2.16 Mb). Despite their proximity, the interacting

SUBMITTER: Fitzpatrick DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4345003 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature