Definition
Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) are genetic segments containing one or more genes that correlate with phenotypic variation in a quantitative trait.
Introduction
Advances in DNA sequencing over the last 25 years have reduced the cost to generate a high-quality draft of the human genome from hundreds of millions to less than $1,500 (Wetterstrand 2018). The ease of access to sequence data has led to remarkable growth and demand for sequence analysis – how changes in genes and gene expression contribute to morphology and disease. For scientists, the process of connecting a phenotype to a gene can be complex. Many human traits and diseases are not solely determined by alleles at a single genetic locus that produce discrete “all-or-none” phenotypic effects, as was the case for Gregor Mendel’s pea plant seeds being smooth or wrinkled, yellow or green. Instead, many complex traits, diseases, and disease susceptibilities are influenced by interactions between alleles at multiple...
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References
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Brandenberger, L. (2018). Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_209-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_209-1
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