Nonlinear Regulation and Genetic Polymorphisms
Author Information
Author(s): Gjuvsland Arne B, Hayes Ben J, Meuwissen Theo HE, Plahte Erik, Omholt Stig W
Primary Institution: Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Hypothesis
To what degree is the phenotypic manifestation of local and distant polymorphisms a dynamic feature of regulatory design?
Conclusion
Genetic variation affecting the form of cis-regulatory input functions may reshape the genotype-phenotype map by changing the relative importance of cis and trans variation.
Supporting Evidence
- Different network structures give similar cis/trans linkage patterns.
- Nonlinear cis-regulatory input functions increase the phenotypic expression of distant polymorphisms.
- Polymorphisms affecting the shape of the cis-regulatory input function alter the genotype-phenotype map.
Takeaway
This study shows that how genes interact can change how traits are expressed, especially when looking at distant genetic variations.
Methodology
The study combined mathematical models of gene expression networks with genetic maps and linkage analysis.
Limitations
The study focused on transcriptional networks and did not account for coding polymorphisms.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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