Abstract
Background
Gene expression microarrays allow the quantification of transcript accumulation for many or all genes in a genome. This technology has been utilized for a range of investigations, from assessments of gene regulation in response to genetic or environmental fluctuation to global expression QTL (eQTL) analyses of natural variation. Current analysis techniques facilitate the statistical querying of individual genes to evaluate the significance of a change in response, also known as differential expression. Since genes are also known to respond as groups due to their membership in networks, effective approaches are needed to investigate transcriptome variation as related to gene network responses.
Results
We describe a statistical approach that is capable of assessing higher-order a priori defined gene network response, as measured by microarrays. This analysis detected significant network variation between two Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, Bay-0 and Shahdara. By extending this approach, we were able to identify eQTLs controlling network responses for 18 out of 20 a priori-defined gene networks in a recombinant inbred line population derived from accessions Bay-0 and Shahdara.
Conclusion
This approach has the potential to be expanded to facilitate direct tests of the relationship between phenotypic trait and transcript genetic architecture. The use of a priori definitions for network eQTL identification has enormous potential for providing direction toward future eQTL analyses.
Date of this Version
6-16-2006
DOI
10.1186/1471-2105-7-308
Recommended Citation
Kliebenstein, Daniel J.; West, Marilyn AL; van Leeuwen, Hans; Loudet, Olivier; Doerge, Rebecca W.; and St Clair, Dina A., "Identification of QTLs Controlling Gene Expression Networks Defined a Priori." (2006). Department of Statistics Faculty Publications. Paper 7.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2105-7-308
Comments
This is the publisher pdf of Daniel J Kliebenstein, Marilyn AL West, Hans van Leeuwen, Olivier Loudet, RW Doerge, Dina A St Clair. Identification of QTLs Controlling Gene Expression Networks Defined a Priori. BMC Bioinformatics 2006, 7:308 (16 June 2006) and is available at: 10.1186/1471-2105-7-308.