Heritability Values (heritability + value)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


QTL Analysis of Trabecular Bone in BXD F2 and RI Mice,

JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 8 2006
Abbey L Bower
Abstract A sample of 693 mice was used to identify regions of the mouse genome associated with trabecular bone architecture as measured using ,CT. QTLs for bone in the proximal tibial metaphysis were identified on several chromosomes indicating regions containing genes that regulate properties of trabecular bone. Introduction: Age-related osteoporosis is a condition of major concern because of the morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporotic fractures in humans. Osteoporosis is characterized by reduced bone density, strength, and altered trabecular architecture, all of which are quantitative traits resulting from the actions of many genes working in concert with each other and the environment over the lifespan. ,CT gives accurate measures of trabecular bone architecture providing phenotypic data related to bone volume and trabecular morphology. The primary objective of this research was to identify chromosomal regions called quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that contain genes influencing trabecular architecture as measured by ,CT. Materials and Methods: The study used crosses between C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) as progenitor strains of a second filial (F2) generation (n = 141 males and 148 females) and 23 BXD recombinant inbred (RI) strains (n , 9 of each sex per strain). The proximal tibial metaphyses of the 200-day-old mice were analyzed by ,CT to assess phenotypic traits characterizing trabecular bone, including bone volume fraction, trabecular connectivity, and quantitative measures of trabecular orientation and anisotropy. Heritabilities were calculated and QTLs were identified using composite interval mapping. Results: A number of phenotypes were found to be highly heritable. Heritability values for measured phenotypes using RI strains ranged from 0.15 for degree of anisotropy in females to 0.51 for connectivity density in females and total volume in males. Significant and confirmed QTLs, with LOD scores ,4.3 in the F2 cohort and ,1.5 in the corresponding RI cohort were found on chromosomes 1 (43 cM), 5 (44 cM), 6 (20 cM), and 8 (49 cM). Other QTLs with LOD scores ranging from 2.8 to 6.9 in the F2 analyses were found on chromosomes 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 12. QTLs were identified using data sets comprised of both male and female quantitative traits, suggesting similar genetic action in both sexes, whereas others seemed to be associated exclusively with one sex or the other, suggesting the possibility of sex-dependent effects. Conclusions: Identification of the genes underlying these QTLs may lead to improvements in recognizing individuals most at risk for developing osteoporosis and in the design of new therapeutic interventions. [source]


Heritability of human cranial dimensions: comparing the evolvability of different cranial regions

JOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 1 2009
Neus Martínez-Abadías
Abstract Quantitative craniometrical traits have been successfully incorporated into population genetic methods to provide insight into human population structure. However, little is known about the degree of genetic and non-genetic influences on the phenotypic expression of functionally based traits. Many studies have assessed the heritability of craniofacial traits, but complex patterns of correlation among traits have been disregarded. This is a pitfall as the human skull is strongly integrated. Here we reconsider the evolutionary potential of craniometric traits by assessing their heritability values as well as their patterns of genetic and phenotypic correlation using a large pedigree-structured skull series from Hallstatt (Austria). The sample includes 355 complete adult skulls that have been analysed using 3D geometric morphometric techniques. Heritability estimates for 58 cranial linear distances were computed using maximum likelihood methods. These distances were assigned to the main functional and developmental regions of the skull. Results showed that the human skull has substantial amounts of genetic variation, and a t -test showed that there are no statistically significant differences among the heritabilities of facial, neurocranial and basal dimensions. However, skull evolvability is limited by complex patterns of genetic correlation. Phenotypic and genetic patterns of correlation are consistent but do not support traditional hypotheses of integration of the human shape, showing that the classification between brachy- and dolicephalic skulls is not grounded on the genetic level. Here we support previous findings in the mouse cranium and provide empirical evidence that covariation between the maximum widths of the main developmental regions of the skull is the dominant factor of integration in the human skull. [source]


Reducing the effect of parent averages from animal solutions in mixed model equations

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 6 2000
L. Wu
Summary Selection of animals based on their BLUP evaluations from an animal model results in animals that are closely related which leads to increased rates of inbreeding. The tendency for higher inbreeding rates is greater at low heritability values. Several attempts have been made to reduce the impact of parent average breeding values from animals evaluations in order to reduce inbreeding while not sacrificing genetic response. A method that modifies the rules for forming the inverse of the additive genetic relationship matrix for use in best linear unbiased estimation of breeding values via an animal model was developed. This method and several others were compared analytically and empirically, from the perspective of partitioning the animal solutions into contributions from the data, from progeny, and from the parent average. The ratio of genetic progress to average level of inbreeding showed that the modified relationship matrix method was superior to the other methods. Similar results could be obtained by using artificially high heritability in a usual BLUP analysis. Zusammenfassung Die Selektion von Tieren aufgrund ihrer geschätzten BLUP-Zuchtwerte unter einem Tiermodell ergibt verwandte Tiere, was zu gesteigerten Inzuchtraten führt. Einige Versuche wurden unternommen, um die Wirkung des elterlichen Zuchtwertduchschnitts auf die geschätzten Tierzuchtwerte zu reduzieren, um einerseits die Inzucht einzugrenzen, aber andererseits den Zuchtfortschritt nicht zu beeinträchtigen. Es wurde eine Methode entwickelt, welche die Regeln zur Aufstellung der additiven genetischen Verwandtschaftsmatrix im Tiermodell für die BLUP-Zuchtwertschätzung modifiziert. Diese und einige andere Methoden wurden empirisch und analytisch verglichen. Das geschah aus der Sicht, die Lösungen für die Tiereffekte in Bezug auf den Beitrag der Eltern, der Eigenleistung und der Nachkommen aufzuteilen. Das Verhältnis des Zuchtfortschritts zum mittleren Inzuchtniveau zeigte, dass die modifizierte Verwandtschaftsmatrix als Methode allen anderen überlegen war. Ähnliche Ergebnisse konnten erreicht werden, wenn in einer gewöhnlichen BLUP-Analyse der Heritabilitätsparameter künstlich hochgesetzt wird. [source]


Morphology, growth and reproduction in the Australian house mouse: differential effects of moderate temperatures

BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2008
BRONWYN M. MCALLAN
The house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) was introduced into Australia two centuries ago and is now succeeding in a wide range of habitats and climatic regions. To explore how mice exploit such extreme environments, we compared growth rate, morphology and reproductive success of animals reared under differing thermal regimes (13 °C ,cool', 22 °C ,moderate' and 30 °C ,warm') in laboratory mice derived from wild stock. ,Warm' group young were smaller and grew more slowly than those from other groups. At 6 weeks of age, body mass was less in ,warm' than in ,cool' treatment individuals; and liver mass/body mass also was less in ,warm' than in ,cool' treatment individuals. Paired kidney mass/body mass and paired adrenal mass/body mass were less in ,warm' than in ,cool' and ,moderate' treatment mice. Low heritability values indicate that these effects were from the temperature treatments rather than genetic influences. Irrespective of temperature treatment, females were more likely to produce a litter from post-partum matings if they were experienced, rather than young or reproductively naïve, and also bore more young from post-partum matings. These observations contribute to understanding of the sudden plague activities of mice in some parts of Australia and also their sparse distribution in the interior of the continent. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 94, 21,30. [source]