Signatures of Evolutionary Adaptation in Quantitative Trait Loci Influencing Trace Element Homeostasis in Liver.

ABSTRACT: Essential trace elements possess vital functions at molecular, cellular, and physiological levels in health and disease, and they are tightly regulated in the human body. In order to assess variability and potential adaptive evolution of trace element homeostasis, we quantified 18 trace elements in 150 liver samples, together with the expression levels of 90 genes and abundances of 40 proteins involved in their homeostasis. Additionally, we genotyped 169 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in the same sample set. We detected significant associations for 8 protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL), 10 expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), and 15 micronutrient quantitative trait loci (nutriQTL). Six of these exceeded the false discovery rate cutoff and were related to essential trace el

SUBMITTER: Engelken J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4760079 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature