Imputed gene associations identify replicable trans-acting genes enriched in transcription pathways and complex traits.

ABSTRACT: Regulation of gene expression is an important mechanism through which genetic variation can affect complex traits. A substantial portion of gene expression variation can be explained by both local (cis) and distal (trans) genetic variation. Much progress has been made in uncovering cis-acting expression quantitative trait loci (cis-eQTL), but trans-eQTL have been more difficult to identify and replicate. Here we take advantage of our ability to predict the cis component of gene expression coupled with gene mapping methods such as PrediXcan to identify high confidence candidate trans-acting genes and their targets. That is, we correlate the cis component of gene expression with observed expression of genes in different chromosomes. Leveraging the shared cis-acting regulation across tissues,

SUBMITTER: Wheeler HE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6687523 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature