IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v8y2017i1d10.1038_s41467-017-00473-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Genetic correlations reveal the shared genetic architecture of transcription in human peripheral blood

Author

Listed:
  • Samuel W. Lukowski

    (University of Queensland)

  • Luke R. Lloyd-Jones

    (University of Queensland
    University of Queensland)

  • Alexander Holloway

    (University of Queensland)

  • Holger Kirsten

    (University of Leipzig
    University of Leipzig)

  • Gibran Hemani

    (MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol
    University of Bristol)

  • Jian Yang

    (University of Queensland
    University of Queensland)

  • Kerrin Small

    (King’s College London)

  • Jing Zhao

    (Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Andres Metspalu

    (University of Tartu)

  • Emmanouil T. Dermitzakis

    (University of Geneva)

  • Greg Gibson

    (Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Timothy D. Spector

    (King’s College London)

  • Joachim Thiery

    (University of Leipzig
    University of Leipzig)

  • Markus Scholz

    (University of Leipzig
    University of Leipzig)

  • Grant W. Montgomery

    (University of Queensland
    QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute)

  • Tonu Esko

    (University of Tartu)

  • Peter M. Visscher

    (University of Queensland
    University of Queensland)

  • Joseph E. Powell

    (University of Queensland
    University of Queensland)

Abstract

Transcript co-expression is regulated by a combination of shared genetic and environmental factors. Here, we estimate the proportion of co-expression that is due to shared genetic variance. To do so, we estimated the genetic correlations between each pairwise combination of 2469 transcripts that are highly heritable and expressed in whole blood in 1748 unrelated individuals of European ancestry. We identify 556 pairs with a significant genetic correlation of which 77% are located on different chromosomes, and report 934 expression quantitative trait loci, identified in an independent cohort, with significant effects on both transcripts in a genetically correlated pair. We show significant enrichment for transcription factor control and physical proximity through chromatin interactions as possible mechanisms of shared genetic control. Finally, we construct networks of interconnected transcripts and identify their underlying biological functions. Using genetic correlations to investigate transcriptional co-regulation provides valuable insight into the nature of the underlying genetic architecture of gene regulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel W. Lukowski & Luke R. Lloyd-Jones & Alexander Holloway & Holger Kirsten & Gibran Hemani & Jian Yang & Kerrin Small & Jing Zhao & Andres Metspalu & Emmanouil T. Dermitzakis & Greg Gibson & Timot, 2017. "Genetic correlations reveal the shared genetic architecture of transcription in human peripheral blood," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-00473-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00473-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-00473-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-017-00473-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-00473-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.