科學家破譯影響顏值的遺傳因素
作者:
小柯機器人發布時間:2020/12/8 13:55:06
比利時魯汶大學Peter Claes等研究人員破譯影響人類面部形成的遺傳因素。相關論文於2020年12月7日在線發表在《自然—遺傳學》雜誌上。
研究人員表示,Achley和Hall在1991年概括了當代生物學的主要問題之一:在發育過程中如何出現複雜的形態結構以及在進化過程中如何改變形態。這個問題繼續困擾著生物學家、遺傳學家、人類學家和臨床醫生近三十年。人臉就是這樣一種典型的複雜形態結構,且高度多態,是遺傳、細胞和環境因素複雜協調的結果。通過先前的全基因組關聯研究(GWAS),已激發下100多個基因座參與正常範圍的面部形態塑造,但綜合表徵影響人臉的遺傳結構仍然具有挑戰性。
使用多變量全基因組關聯研究對8,246例歐洲個體進行薈萃分析,研究人員確定了203個與正常範圍面部變異相關的全基因組信號(120個在研究範圍內也有意義)。後續分析表明,圍繞這些信號的區域在顱神經crest細胞和顱面組織中的增強子活性得到了富集,數個區域藏有多種信號,它們與不同的面部表型相關,並且有證據表明這些變異可能具有協同作用。總而言之,這些分析為了解個體和協調的遺傳行為如何塑造複雜的形態特徵提供了見識。
附:英文原文
Title: Insights into the genetic architecture of the human face
Author: Julie D. White, Karlijne Indencleef, Sahin Naqvi, Ryan J. Eller, Hanne Hoskens, Jasmien Roosenboom, Myoung Keun Lee, Jiarui Li, Jaaved Mohammed, Stephen Richmond, Ellen E. Quillen, Heather L. Norton, Eleanor Feingold, Tomek Swigut, Mary L. Marazita, Hilde Peeters, Greet Hens, John R. Shaffer, Joanna Wysocka, Susan Walsh, Seth M. Weinberg, Mark D. Shriver, Peter Claes
Issue&Volume: 2020-12-07
Abstract: The human face is complex and multipartite, and characterization of its genetic architecture remains challenging. Using a multivariate genome-wide association study meta-analysis of 8,246 European individuals, we identified 203 genome-wide-significant signals (120 also study-wide significant) associated with normal-range facial variation. Follow-up analyses indicate that the regions surrounding these signals are enriched for enhancer activity in cranial neural crest cells and craniofacial tissues, several regions harbor multiple signals with associations to different facial phenotypes, and there is evidence for potential coordinated actions of variants. In summary, our analyses provide insights into the understanding of how complex morphological traits are shaped by both individual and coordinated genetic actions. A multivariate genome-wide association study identifies 203 signals associated with facial variation. These signals are enriched for enhancer activity in cranial neural crest cells and craniofacial tissues.
DOI: 10.1038/s41588-020-00741-7
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-020-00741-7