MultiGWAS: An integrative tool for Genome Wide Association Studies in tetraploid organisms

The genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) are essential to determine the genetic bases of either ecological or economic phenotypic variation across individuals within populations of the model and nonmodel organisms. For this research question, the GWAS replication testing different parameters and models to validate the results'' reproducibility is common. However, straightforward methodologies that manage both replication and tetraploid data are still missing. To solve this problem, we designed the MultiGWAS, a tool that does GWAS for diploid and tetraploid organisms by executing in parallel four software packages, two designed for polyploid data (GWASpoly and SHEsis) and two designed for diploid data (GAPIT and TASSEL). MultiGWAS has several advantages. It runs either in the command line or in a graphical interface; it manages different genotype formats, including VCF. Moreover, it allows control for population structure, relatedness, and several quality control checks on genotype data. Besides, MultiGWAS can test for additive and dominant gene action models, and, through a proprietary scoring function, select the best model to report its associations. Finally, it generates several reports that facilitate identifying false associations from both the significant and the best‐ranked association Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) among the four software packages. We tested MultiGWAS with public tetraploid potato data for tuber shape and several simulated data under both additive and dominant models. These tests demonstrated that MultiGWAS is better at detecting reliable associations than using each of the four software packages individually. Moreover, the parallel analysis of polyploid and diploid software that only offers MultiGWAS demonstrates its utility in understanding the best genetic model behind the SNP association in tetraploid organisms. Therefore, MultiGWAS probed to be an excellent alternative for wrapping GWAS replication in diploid and tetraploid organisms in a single analysis environment.     

口腔扁平苔藓患者的CIITA基因单倍型分析

目的:分析CIITA基因中单核苷酸多态性(Single Nucleotide Polymorphism,SNP)的单倍型与口腔扁平苔藓(Oral Lichen Planus,OLP)之间的关系,并探讨计算单倍型的新方法。方法:在得到42名患者与86名对照的CIITA基因中15个SNP位点的信息后,通过Haploview和SHEsis软件以及本研究组设计的频数计数法进行单倍型分析。组间比较使用χ2检验,并以P=0.05作为统计检验标准。结果:在本研究群体中,CIITA基因上的15个SNP位点能够形成两个单体域(haploblock),其中由位点rs6498124,rs11647384和rs4774所组成的单倍型GAC在三种单倍型分析方法中均显示出显著的统计学差异(Haploview:Chi2=6.127,P=0.013;SHEsis:Chi2=6.469 P=0.011;频数计数法:Chi2=5.460,P=0.019)。结论:在由CIITA基因的SNP位点rs6498124,rs11647384,rs4774组成的单体域中,单倍型GAC对OLP的患病具有潜在的保护性。频数计数法显示,rs4774位点本身的保护性及其与同一单体域内另外两个位点之间的完全连锁不平衡关系是单体型GAC显示出保护性的主要依据。提示单倍型对疾病易感性的解释在于其中的特定SNP位点等位基因型,及其该位点与其它相关位点间的连锁不平衡关系。