Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.

Human ear morphology, a complex anatomical structure represented by a multidimensional set of correlated and heritable phenotypes, has a poorly understood genetic architecture. In this study, we quantitatively assessed 136 ear morphology traits using deep learning analysis of digital face images in...

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Main Authors: Yi Li, Ziyi Xiong, Manfei Zhang, Pirro G Hysi, Yu Qian, Kaustubh Adhikari, Jun Weng, Sijie Wu, Siyuan Du, Rolando Gonzalez-Jose, Lavinia Schuler-Faccini, Maria-Catira Bortolini, Victor Acuna-Alonzo, Samuel Canizales-Quinteros, Carla Gallo, Giovanni Poletti, Gabriel Bedoya, Francisco Rothhammer, Jiucun Wang, Jingze Tan, Ziyu Yuan, Li Jin, André G Uitterlinden, Mohsen Ghanbari, M Arfan Ikram, Tamar Nijsten, Xiangyu Zhu, Zhen Lei, Peilin Jia, Andres Ruiz-Linares, Timothy D Spector, Sijia Wang, Manfred Kayser, Fan Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-07-01
Series:PLoS Genetics
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010786&type=printable
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author Yi Li
Ziyi Xiong
Manfei Zhang
Pirro G Hysi
Yu Qian
Kaustubh Adhikari
Jun Weng
Sijie Wu
Siyuan Du
Rolando Gonzalez-Jose
Lavinia Schuler-Faccini
Maria-Catira Bortolini
Victor Acuna-Alonzo
Samuel Canizales-Quinteros
Carla Gallo
Giovanni Poletti
Gabriel Bedoya
Francisco Rothhammer
Jiucun Wang
Jingze Tan
Ziyu Yuan
Li Jin
André G Uitterlinden
Mohsen Ghanbari
M Arfan Ikram
Tamar Nijsten
Xiangyu Zhu
Zhen Lei
Peilin Jia
Andres Ruiz-Linares
Timothy D Spector
Sijia Wang
Manfred Kayser
Fan Liu
author_facet Yi Li
Ziyi Xiong
Manfei Zhang
Pirro G Hysi
Yu Qian
Kaustubh Adhikari
Jun Weng
Sijie Wu
Siyuan Du
Rolando Gonzalez-Jose
Lavinia Schuler-Faccini
Maria-Catira Bortolini
Victor Acuna-Alonzo
Samuel Canizales-Quinteros
Carla Gallo
Giovanni Poletti
Gabriel Bedoya
Francisco Rothhammer
Jiucun Wang
Jingze Tan
Ziyu Yuan
Li Jin
André G Uitterlinden
Mohsen Ghanbari
M Arfan Ikram
Tamar Nijsten
Xiangyu Zhu
Zhen Lei
Peilin Jia
Andres Ruiz-Linares
Timothy D Spector
Sijia Wang
Manfred Kayser
Fan Liu
author_sort Yi Li
collection DOAJ
description Human ear morphology, a complex anatomical structure represented by a multidimensional set of correlated and heritable phenotypes, has a poorly understood genetic architecture. In this study, we quantitatively assessed 136 ear morphology traits using deep learning analysis of digital face images in 14,921 individuals from five different cohorts in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Through GWAS meta-analysis and C-GWASs, a recently introduced method to effectively combine GWASs of many traits, we identified 16 genetic loci involved in various ear phenotypes, eight of which have not been previously associated with human ear features. Our findings suggest that ear morphology shares genetic determinants with other surface ectoderm-derived traits such as facial variation, mono eyebrow, and male pattern baldness. Our results enhance the genetic understanding of human ear morphology and shed light on the shared genetic contributors of different surface ectoderm-derived phenotypes. Additionally, gene editing experiments in mice have demonstrated that knocking out the newly ear-associated gene (Intu) and a previously ear-associated gene (Tbx15) causes deviating mouse ear morphology.
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institution Kabale University
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language English
publishDate 2023-07-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Genetics
spelling doaj-art-a2b816faee4b45d9a912189d96d227f42025-08-20T03:46:25ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042023-07-01197e101078610.1371/journal.pgen.1010786Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.Yi LiZiyi XiongManfei ZhangPirro G HysiYu QianKaustubh AdhikariJun WengSijie WuSiyuan DuRolando Gonzalez-JoseLavinia Schuler-FacciniMaria-Catira BortoliniVictor Acuna-AlonzoSamuel Canizales-QuinterosCarla GalloGiovanni PolettiGabriel BedoyaFrancisco RothhammerJiucun WangJingze TanZiyu YuanLi JinAndré G UitterlindenMohsen GhanbariM Arfan IkramTamar NijstenXiangyu ZhuZhen LeiPeilin JiaAndres Ruiz-LinaresTimothy D SpectorSijia WangManfred KayserFan LiuHuman ear morphology, a complex anatomical structure represented by a multidimensional set of correlated and heritable phenotypes, has a poorly understood genetic architecture. In this study, we quantitatively assessed 136 ear morphology traits using deep learning analysis of digital face images in 14,921 individuals from five different cohorts in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Through GWAS meta-analysis and C-GWASs, a recently introduced method to effectively combine GWASs of many traits, we identified 16 genetic loci involved in various ear phenotypes, eight of which have not been previously associated with human ear features. Our findings suggest that ear morphology shares genetic determinants with other surface ectoderm-derived traits such as facial variation, mono eyebrow, and male pattern baldness. Our results enhance the genetic understanding of human ear morphology and shed light on the shared genetic contributors of different surface ectoderm-derived phenotypes. Additionally, gene editing experiments in mice have demonstrated that knocking out the newly ear-associated gene (Intu) and a previously ear-associated gene (Tbx15) causes deviating mouse ear morphology.https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010786&type=printable
spellingShingle Yi Li
Ziyi Xiong
Manfei Zhang
Pirro G Hysi
Yu Qian
Kaustubh Adhikari
Jun Weng
Sijie Wu
Siyuan Du
Rolando Gonzalez-Jose
Lavinia Schuler-Faccini
Maria-Catira Bortolini
Victor Acuna-Alonzo
Samuel Canizales-Quinteros
Carla Gallo
Giovanni Poletti
Gabriel Bedoya
Francisco Rothhammer
Jiucun Wang
Jingze Tan
Ziyu Yuan
Li Jin
André G Uitterlinden
Mohsen Ghanbari
M Arfan Ikram
Tamar Nijsten
Xiangyu Zhu
Zhen Lei
Peilin Jia
Andres Ruiz-Linares
Timothy D Spector
Sijia Wang
Manfred Kayser
Fan Liu
Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.
PLoS Genetics
title Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.
title_full Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.
title_fullStr Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.
title_full_unstemmed Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.
title_short Combined genome-wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci.
title_sort combined genome wide association study of 136 quantitative ear morphology traits in multiple populations reveal 8 novel loci
url https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010786&type=printable
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