Adjusted P Values for Genome-Wide Scans

Genome-wide scans for quantitative trait loci (QTL) have traditionally been summarized with plots of logarithm of odds (LOD) scores. A valuable modification is to supplement such plots with an additional vertical axis displaying quantiles of adjusted P values and labeling local maxima of the LOD scores with location-specific adjusted P values. This provides a visible gradation of genome-wide significance for the LOD score curve, instead of the stark dichotomy that a single threshold yields. Adjusted P values give genome-wide significance of individual LOD scores and are obtained through a straightforward modification of the familiar algorithm for generating permutation-based thresholds.