When " N of 2" is not enough: integrating statistical and functional data in gene discovery

Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2017 May;3(3):a001099. doi: 10.1101/mcs.a001099.

Abstract

The expanding use of genomic sequencing promises to improve clinical diagnostics and to drive the discovery of new disease genes. Candidate genes are increasingly being identified through recurrent cases (e.g., two or more independent cases ["N of 2"] in which variants are present in the same gene). These second case hits provide statistical evidence of an association, which may then be combined with functional validation or familial segregation studies to bolster the evidence that a gene is truly causal. Here, we discuss how to integrate different forms of functional evidence with human genetics case and segregation data to improve the significance of new disease-gene associations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Computational Biology
  • Exome
  • Genetic Association Studies / methods*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genome-Wide Association Study / methods
  • Genomics / methods*
  • Genomics / statistics & numerical data
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics