Comparison of sib pair-based approaches for identifying quantitative traitloci underlying asthma in the Busselton families

The goal of this study is to determine the linkage relationship between IgE levels and the 269 microsatellite markers using the Genetic Analysis Works hop 12 Busselton data set. Analyses were carried out using both traditional and new Haseman-Elston methods, the maximum likelihood quantitative trait locus estimation (MLE QTL) method and the nonparametric (NP QTL) method. Ou r analyses confirmed some of the signals reported by Daniels et al. [Nature 383:247-50, 1996]. We also observed that several significant signals repor ted in the original report became insignificant (D6S76 and D11S96) and seve ral new signals showed up after the data were reanalyzed using the new Hase man-Elston method, the MLE QTL method, and the NP QTL method. Based on the original and the current analyses, we recommend that follow-up studies of t hree regions including D7S2250, FCER1B, D11S901, and six markers on chromos ome 16 be given higher priority. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.