Linkage Disequilibrium in Wild Mice
Author Information
Author(s): Laurie Cathy C, Nickerson Deborah A, Anderson Amy D, Weir Bruce S, Livingston Robert J, Dean Matthew D, Smith Kimberly L, Schadt Eric E, Nachman Michael W
Primary Institution: University of Arizona
Hypothesis
Can wild mice populations provide a suitable model for fine-scale linkage disequilibrium mapping and association studies?
Conclusion
Wild mice in Arizona exhibit a high level of genetic variation and a rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium, making them a valuable resource for identifying genes associated with complex traits.
Supporting Evidence
- Arizona mice have a high level of genetic variation, capturing a large fraction of the polymorphisms found in laboratory mice.
- Linkage disequilibrium in Arizona mice decays with distance at a rate similar to that observed in human populations.
- Strong associations in Arizona mice are primarily limited to markers less than 100 kb apart.
Takeaway
Scientists studied wild mice in Arizona to see if they could help find genes that affect traits like diseases. They found that these mice have a lot of genetic differences and that their genes are linked in a way that makes it easier to study.
Methodology
The study involved collecting 94 wild mice from different sites in Arizona and genotyping them for a genome-wide set of 4,581 SNPs.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the limited geographic range of the sampled mice and the reliance on SNPs identified in laboratory strains.
Limitations
The study's sample size may limit the generalizability of the findings, and the SNPs were ascertained in laboratory strains, which may not fully represent wild populations.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on wild mice (Mus musculus domesticus) collected from various sites around Tucson, Arizona.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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