Quantitative genomics: exploring the genetic architecture of complex trait predisposition

Abstract

Most phenotypes with agricultural or biomedical relevance are multifactorial traits controlled by complex contributions of genetics and environment. Genetic predisposition results from combinations of relatively small effects due to variations within a large number of genes, known as QTL. Well over 200 QTL have been reported for growth and body composition traits in the mouse, which likely represent at least 50 to 100 distinct genes. Molecular biology has yielded significant advances in understanding these traits at the metabolic and physiological levels; however, little has been learned regarding the identity and nature of the underlying polygenes. In addition to the significantly poor precision inherent to QTL localization, it is very difficult to differentiate between co-localization and coincidence when comparing QTL with other QTL and with potential candidate genes. The wide gap between our knowledge of physiological mechanisms underlying complex traits and the nature of genetic predisposition significantly impairs discovery of genes underlying QTL. Identification and genetic mapping of key transcriptional, proteomic, metabolomic, and endocrine events will uncover large lists of significant positional candidate genes for growth and body composition. However, integration of experimental approaches to jointly evaluate predisposition and physiology will increase success of QTL identification by merging the power of recombination with functional analysis. Measuring physiologically relevant subphenotypes within a structured QTL mapping population will not only facilitate pathway-specific prioritization among candidate genes, but may also directly identify genes underlying QTL. This would advance our understanding of the genetic architecture of complex traits by testing the central hypothesis that genes controlling predisposition to a quantitative trait are primarily involved in trans-regulation of the primary physiological pathways that regulate the trait.