Hn. Kadarmideen et Jcm. Dekkers, Regression on markers with uncertain allele transmission for QTL mapping in half-sib designs, GEN SEL EVO, 31(5-6), 1999, pp. 437-455
Recently, regression of phenotype on marker genotypes was described for qua
ntitative trait loci (QTL) mapping in F-2 populations and shown to be equiv
alent to regression interval mapping (RIM). In this study, regression on ma
rkers was extended to half-sib designs with uncertain marker allele transmi
ssion, and properties of QTL parameters were examined analytically. In this
method, offspring phenotypes are first regressed on the probability of tra
nsmission of a given allele from the common parent at flanking marker loci.
Resulting regression coefficients can then be interpreted based on an assu
med genetic model. With presence of a single QTL in the marker interval, it
was shown that expected values of regression coefficients for the flanking
markers contained all information about position and effect of the QTL and
were independent of the probability of marker allele transmission. Through
simulation, it was shown that regression of phenotype on marker allele tra
nsmission probabilities is equivalent to RIM under the same assumed genetic
model. Regression on marker genotypes is computationally less time consumi
ng than QTL interval mapping, as it eliminates the need to search for the b
est QTL position across marker intervals. This can form the basis for more
efficient methods of analysis with more complex models, including threshold
or logistic models for the analysis of categorical traits. (C) Inra/Elsevi
er, Paris.