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Quantitative genetics

Turning up the heat on QTL mapping

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 3, page 237 (2002)Cite this article

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In order to map the Htg trait, Steinmetz et al. crossed two strains of S. cerevisiae: one strain with the Htg trait and one strain without it. They then used microarray analysis to compare the entire genomes of, and to map recombination points in, Htg+ and Htg− progeny of this cross, allowing them to pinpoint a locus on chromosome XIV that appeared to be linked to the Htg trait. However, neither the extensive sequencing of this locus nor the comparison of gene expression levels in this region provided a clear answer as to what gene — or genes — underlie this mapped QTL.

So to overcome this problem, Steinmetz et al. used a novel strategy called reciprocal hemizygosity analysis, in which new diploid strains were created that contained a haploid deletion in one or the other parental chromosome at a single gene of interest. In this way, each allele of a gene could be examined separately for its individual contribution to the phenotype. For the chromosome XIV QTL, alleles at two genes, MKT1 and RHO2 , from the Htg+ parent contributed to the Htg phenotype in the progeny. But, surprisingly, one allele at a third gene, END3 , from the Htg− parent also contributed to the Htg phenotype — a finding that helps to explain why the initial cross between the two strains produced a hybrid with heterosis (or 'hybrid vigour').

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References

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Steinmetz, L. M. et al. Dissecting the complex architecture of a quantitative trait locus in yeast. Nature 21 March 2002 (DOI 10.1038/nature732)

FURTHER READING

  1. Mackay, T. F. C. Quantitative trait loci in Drosophila. Nature Rev. Genet. 2, 11–20 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Barton, N. H. & Keightley, P. D. Understanding quantitative genetic variation. Nature Rev. Genet. 3, 11–21 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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  1. Associate Editor, Nature,

    Chris Gunter

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  1. Chris Gunter
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Gunter, C. Turning up the heat on QTL mapping. Nat Rev Genet 3, 237 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg785

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