Prediction of phenotype from DNA variants

Abstract

Complex or quantitative traits are typically controlled by thousands of polymorphic sites in the genome and by environmental factors. It would be useful in agriculture and in medicine to be able to predict the genetic value or future phenotype of individuals from information on the alleles they carry at variable DNA sites. This can be done by using a panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that cover the whole genome so that all sites which cause variation in the trait are in linkage disequilibrium with one or more of the SNPs. A prediction equation is derived from a training population in which individuals have been assayed for the SNP genotypes and recorded for the trait. The most ..