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Imprint of assortative mating on the human genome

Author

Listed:
  • Loic Yengo

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Matthew R. Robinson

    (The University of Queensland
    University of Lausanne)

  • Matthew C. Keller

    (University of Colorado at Boulder)

  • Kathryn E. Kemper

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Yuanhao Yang

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Maciej Trzaskowski

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Jacob Gratten

    (The University of Queensland
    Translational Research Institute)

  • Patrick Turley

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard)

  • David Cesarini

    (National Bureau of Economic Research
    New York University
    New York University)

  • Daniel J. Benjamin

    (National Bureau of Economic Research
    University of Southern California
    University of Southern California)

  • Naomi R. Wray

    (The University of Queensland
    The University of Queensland)

  • Michael E. Goddard

    (University of Melbourne
    Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Government of Victoria)

  • Jian Yang

    (The University of Queensland
    The University of Queensland)

  • Peter M. Visscher

    (The University of Queensland
    The University of Queensland)

Abstract

Preference for mates with similar phenotypes; that is, assortative mating, is widely observed in humans1–5 and has evolutionary consequences6–8. Under Fisher's classical theory6, assortative mating is predicted to induce a signature in the genome at trait-associated loci that can be detected and quantified. Here, we develop and apply a method to quantify assortative mating on a specific trait by estimating the correlation (θ) between genetic predictors of the trait from single nucleotide polymorphisms on odd- versus even-numbered chromosomes. We show by theory and simulation that the effect of assortative mating can be quantified in the presence of population stratification. We applied this approach to 32 complex traits and diseases using single nucleotide polymorphism data from ~400,000 unrelated individuals of European ancestry. We found significant evidence of assortative mating for height (θ = 3.2%) and educational attainment (θ = 2.7%), both of which were consistent with theoretical predictions. Overall, our results imply that assortative mating involves multiple traits and affects the genomic architecture of loci that are associated with these traits, and that the consequence of mate choice can be detected from a random sample of genomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Loic Yengo & Matthew R. Robinson & Matthew C. Keller & Kathryn E. Kemper & Yuanhao Yang & Maciej Trzaskowski & Jacob Gratten & Patrick Turley & David Cesarini & Daniel J. Benjamin & Naomi R. Wray & Mi, 2018. "Imprint of assortative mating on the human genome," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(12), pages 948-954, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:2:y:2018:i:12:d:10.1038_s41562-018-0476-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-018-0476-3
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fartein Ask Torvik & Espen Moen Eilertsen & Laurie J. Hannigan & Rosa Cheesman & Laurence J. Howe & Per Magnus & Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud & Ole A. Andreassen & Pål R. Njølstad & Alexandra Havdahl & Eiv, 2022. "Modeling assortative mating and genetic similarities between partners, siblings, and in-laws," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Kenichi Yamamoto & Kyuto Sonehara & Shinichi Namba & Takahiro Konuma & Hironori Masuko & Satoru Miyawaki & Yoichiro Kamatani & Nobuyuki Hizawa & Keiichi Ozono & Loic Yengo & Yukinori Okada, 2023. "Genetic footprints of assortative mating in the Japanese population," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 65-73, January.
    3. Yengo, Loic & Visscher, Peter M., 2018. "Assortative mating on complex traits revisited: Double first cousins and the X-chromosome," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 51-60.
    4. Jennifer Sjaarda & Zoltán Kutalik, 2023. "Partner choice, confounding and trait convergence all contribute to phenotypic partner similarity," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(5), pages 776-789, May.
    5. Hans Fredrik Sunde & Nikolai Haahjem Eftedal & Rosa Cheesman & Elizabeth C. Corfield & Thomas H. Kleppesto & Anne Caroline Seierstad & Eivind Ystrom & Espen Moen Eilertsen & Fartein Ask Torvik, 2024. "Genetic similarity between relatives provides evidence on the presence and history of assortative mating," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

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