A Bayesian approach to replication of linkage findings

A novel Bayesian approach to replication studies, allowing for locus hetero geneity, is introduced. Compared with currently used approaches to replicat ion, it offers a natural way to accumulate evidence across independently co llected data sets and yields more interpretable results. Using four replica tes (one as initial study and the other three as replication studies) from Problem 2 of the Genetic Analysis Workshop 11 data, we show the performance of this method. All four disease susceptibility loci (D1G009, D1G024, D3G0 45, D5G035) are identified and accurately mapped, with no false positive si gnals. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.