Drosophila and genome-wide association studies: a review and resource for the functional dissection of human complex traits.

ABSTRACT: Human genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified thousands of susceptibility loci for common diseases with complex genetic etiologies. Although the susceptibility variants identified by GWAS usually have only modest effects on individual disease risk, they contribute to a substantial burden of trait variation in the overall population. GWAS also offer valuable clues to disease mechanisms that have long proven to be elusive. These insights could lead the way to breakthrough treatments; however, several challenges hinder progress, making innovative approaches to accelerate the follow-up of results from GWAS an urgent priority. Here, we discuss the largely untapped potential of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, for functional investigation of findings from human

SUBMITTER: Wangler MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5312009 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature