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Concept
Genetic association
Summary
Genetic association is when one or more genotypes within a population co-occur with a phenotypic trait more often than would be expected by chance occurrence.
Studies of genetic association aim to test whether single-locus alleles or genotype frequencies or more generally, multilocus haplotype frequencies differ between two groups of individuals usually diseased subjects and healthy controls). Genetic association studies are based on the principle that genotypes can be compared "directly", i.e. with the sequences of the actual genomes or exomes via whole genome sequencing or whole exome sequencing. Before 2010, DNA sequencing methods were used.
Genetic association can be between phenotypes, such as visible characteristics such as flower color or height, between a phenotype and a genetic polymorphism, such as a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), or between two genetic polymorphisms. Association between genetic polymorphisms occurs when there is non-random association of their alleles as a result of their proximity on the same chromosome; this is known as genetic linkage.
Linkage disequilibrium (LD) is a term used in the study of population genetics for the non-random association of alleles at two or more loci, not necessarily on the same chromosome. It is not the same as linkage, which is the phenomenon whereby two or more loci on a chromosome have reduced recombination between them because of their physical proximity to each other. LD describes a situation in which some combinations of alleles or genetic markers occur more or less frequently in a population than would be expected from a random formation of haplotypes from alleles based on their frequencies.
Genetic association studies are performed to determine whether a genetic variant is associated with a disease or trait: if association is present, a particular allele, genotype or haplotype of a polymorphism or polymorphisms will be seen more often than expected by chance in an individual carrying the trait.
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Ontological neighbourhood
Related concepts (6)
Genome-wide association study
In genomics, a genome-wide association study (GWA study, or GWAS), is an observational study of a genome-wide set of genetic variants in different individuals to see if any variant is associated with a trait. GWA studies typically focus on associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and traits like major human diseases, but can equally be applied to any other genetic variants and any other organisms. When applied to human data, GWA studies compare the DNA of participants having varying phenotypes for a particular trait or disease.
Candidate gene
The candidate gene approach to conducting genetic association studies focuses on associations between genetic variation within pre-specified genes of interest, and phenotypes or disease states. This is in contrast to genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which is a hypothesis-free approach that scans the entire genome for associations between common genetic variants (typically SNPs) and traits of interest. Candidate genes are most often selected for study based on a priori knowledge of the gene's biological functional impact on the trait or disease in question.
Genetic epidemiology
Genetic epidemiology is the study of the role of genetic factors in determining health and disease in families and in populations, and the interplay of such genetic factors with environmental factors. Genetic epidemiology seeks to derive a statistical and quantitative analysis of how genetics work in large groups. The use of the term Genetic epidemiology emerged in the mid-1980s as a new scientific field.