Genetic heritability may be hidden deeper than previously thought
Monday, June 21, 2010 - 07:02
in Biology & Nature
(PhysOrg.com) -- Geneticists trying to find a link between the genes and traits such as height have until recently found genetic variants that account for only around 5% of the heritability of these traits. The approximately 95% missing, which is seen in the heritability of most complex human traits and diseases, has been referred to as the "missing heritability" of the genome. This problem has led some geneticists to question the proposal that common genetic variants will explain complex traits and diseases, and to turn their efforts instead to searching for rare variants seen in individuals with the trait.