A systematic eQTL study of cis-trans epistasis in 210 HapMap individuals

Eur J Hum Genet. 2012 Jan;20(1):97-101. doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2011.156. Epub 2011 Aug 17.

Abstract

We aimed at identifying transcripts whose expression is regulated by a SNP-SNP interaction. Out of 47,294 expression phenotypes we used 3107 transcripts that survived an extensive quality control and 86,613 linkage disequilibrium-pruned SNP markers that have been genotyped in 210 individuals. For each transcript we defined cis-SNPs, tested them for epistasis with all trans-SNPs, and corrected all observed cis-trans-regulated expression effects for multiple testing. We determined that the expression of about 15% of all included transcripts is regulated by a significant two-locus interaction, which is more than expected (P = 2.86 × 10(-144)). Our findings suggest further that cis-markers with so called 'marginal effects' are more likely to be involved in two-locus gene regulation than expected (P = 8.27 × 10(-05)), although the majority of interacting cis-markers showed no one-locus regulation. Furthermore, we found evidence that gene-mediated trans-effects are not a major source of epistasis, as no enrichment of genes has been found in close vicinity of trans-SNPs. In addition, our data support the notion that neither chromosomal regions nor cellular processes are enriched in epistatic interactions. Finally, some of the cis-trans regulated genes have been found in genome-wide association studies, which might be interesting for follow-up studies of the corresponding disorders. In summary, our results provide novel insights into the complex genome-transcriptome regulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Databases, Nucleic Acid
  • Epistasis, Genetic*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genetic Markers
  • Genetic Testing / methods
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • HapMap Project*
  • Haplotypes
  • Humans
  • Linkage Disequilibrium
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Quantitative Trait Loci*
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • Genetic Markers