A new method for Quantitative Trait Loci Detection

Charles-Elie Rabier (1, 2) , Céline Delmas (1)

1 SAGA - Station d'Amélioration Génétique des Animaux
2 IMT - Institut de Mathématiques de Toulouse UMR5219

We consider the likelihood ratio test (LRT) process related to the test of the absence of QTL on the interval $[0,T]$ representing a chromosome (a QTL denotes a quantitative trait locus, i.e. a gene with quantitative effect on a trait). We give the asymptotic distribution of this LRT process under the general alternative that there exist $m$ QTL on $[0,T]$. This theoretical result allows us to propose to estimate the number of QTL and their positions using the LASSO. Our method does not require the choice of cofactors contrary to Composite Interval Mapping (CIM). Besides, our method is not affected by interactions.

Mots clés: Gaussian process; Likelihood Ratio Test; Mixture models; Nuisance parameters present only under the alternative; QTL detection

Domaines: Statistiques [math.ST]; Théorie [stat.TH]

Charles-Elie Rabier, Céline Delmas. A new method for Quantitative Trait Loci Detection. 2010. ⟨hal-00610615⟩