Open AccessExpression quantitative trait loci analysis in plants
Author(s) -
Druka Arnis,
Potokina Elena,
Luo Zewei,
Jiang Ning,
Chen Xinwei,
Kearsey Mike,
Waugh Robbie
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
plant biotechnology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.525
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1467-7652
pISSN - 1467-7644
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2009.00460.x
Subject(s) - expression quantitative trait loci , biology , quantitative trait locus , genetics , computational biology , gene , genome , genome wide association study , locus (genetics) , population , trait , genetic variation , gene expression profiling , evolutionary biology , gene expression , single nucleotide polymorphism , genotype , demography , sociology , computer science , programming language
Summary An expression Quantitative Trait Locus or eQTL is a chromosomal region that accounts for a proportion of the variation in abundance of a mRNA transcript observed between individuals in a genetic mapping population. A single gene can have one or multiple eQTLs. Large scale mRNA profiling technologies advanced genome‐wide eQTL mapping in a diverse range of organisms allowing thousands of eQTLs to be detected in a single experiment. When combined with classical or trait QTLs, correlation analyses can directly suggest candidates for genes underlying these traits. Furthermore, eQTL mapping data enables genetic regulatory networks to be modelled and potentially provide a better understanding of the underlying phenotypic variation. The mRNA profiling data sets can also be used to infer the chromosomal positions of thousands of genes, an outcome that is particularly valuable for species with unsequenced genomes where the chromosomal location of the majority of genes remains unknown. In this review we focus on eQTL studies in plants, addressing conceptual and technical aspects that include experimental design, genetic polymorphism prediction and candidate gene identification.