Fig. 3: BMI does not induce rDNA copy number variation and is not influenced by BMI-associated genetic variation in the rest of the genome.
From: Ribosomal DNA copy number is associated with body mass in humans and other mammals
A Mean BMI is discordant between monozygotic twins (Two-sided Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test, p = 1.9x10-5, n = 24 twin pairs) and significantly paired (Two-sided Spearman r = 0.8723, p = 2.8x10-8, n = 24 twin pairs). BMI clinical classifications are indicated (lean (BMI < 25 kg/m2) clear background, overweight (25 kg/m2 < BMI < 30 kg/m2) blue background, obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) red background. Sex is indicated by symbol shape, circle = female (10 MZ twin pairs), square = male (14 MZ twin pairs). Each symbol represents an individual. B Mean relative rDNA copy number is not different between twins (Two-sided Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test, p = 0.8388, n = 24 twin pairs) and is significantly paired (Two-sided Spearman r = 0.9817, p = 1.5×10-6, n = 24 twin pairs). BMI clinical classifications are indicated (lean (BMI < 25 kg/m2) black, overweight (25 kg/m2 < BMI < 30 kg/m2) blue, obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) red. Sex is indicated by symbol shape, circle = female (10 MZ twin pairs), square = male (14 MZ twin pairs). Each symbol represents an individual. C Mean rDNA methylation is not different between twins (Two-sided Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test, p = 0.2929, n = 24 twin pairs) and is significantly paired (Two-sided Spearman r = 0.9704, p = 1.2×10-6). BMI clinical classifications are indicated (lean (BMI < 25 kg/m2) black, overweight (25 kg/m2 < BMI < 30 kg/m2) blue, obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) red. Sex is indicated by symbol shape, circle = female (10 MZ twin pairs), square = male (14 MZ twin pairs). Each symbol represents an individual. D BMI polygenic risk scores are not correlated with rDNA copy number (Two-sided Spearman r = 0.01284, p = 0.5304, n = 2390). Each symbol represents an individual human.
