LINKAGE DISEQUILIBRIUM Meaning and
Definition
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Linkage disequilibrium refers to the non-random association of alleles at different loci on a chromosome. It is a measure of the statistical dependence between genetic variants, where the frequency or presence of one variant is more likely to be found with a particular variant at another nearby location.
In genetics, linkage disequilibrium is a result of the physical proximity of genetic loci on a chromosome and the limited amount of recombination that occurs between them. This can cause certain combinations of alleles at different loci to be inherited together more frequently than would be expected by chance. Therefore, the occurrence of one allele at one location can serve as a predictor for the presence of a particular allele at a nearby location.
Linkage disequilibrium plays a crucial role in various fields of genetics, including gene mapping, population genetics, and evolutionary biology. It is of particular importance in studies aiming to identify disease-causing genes or genetic risk factors. By examining the patterns of allele combinations and linkage disequilibrium between markers and disease-associated variants, researchers can infer the presence of a genetic association with a particular disease or trait.
Methods such as whole-genome association studies (GWAS) utilize linkage disequilibrium to identify genetic variants associated with certain diseases or traits. These studies exploit the fact that if a disease-causing variant is located close to a marker variant in a population, there will be a higher chance of finding the marker variant in affected individuals compared to a random sample.
Understanding linkage disequilibrium can shed light on the genetic basis of complex traits and help unravel the intricate relationships between genes within a population.
Common Misspellings for LINKAGE DISEQUILIBRIUM
- kinkage disequilibrium
- pinkage disequilibrium
- oinkage disequilibrium
- lunkage disequilibrium
- ljnkage disequilibrium
- lknkage disequilibrium
- lonkage disequilibrium
- l9nkage disequilibrium
- l8nkage disequilibrium
- libkage disequilibrium
- limkage disequilibrium
- lijkage disequilibrium
- lihkage disequilibrium
- linjage disequilibrium
- linmage disequilibrium
- linlage disequilibrium
- linoage disequilibrium
- liniage disequilibrium
- linkzge disequilibrium
- linksge disequilibrium
Etymology of LINKAGE DISEQUILIBRIUM
The term "linkage disequilibrium" is derived from genetics, specifically from the field of population genetics.
The word "linkage" refers to the phenomenon of two or more genes that are physically close to each other on the same chromosome, which leads to the inheritance of those genes together more often than expected by chance. In other words, these genes are "linked" and tend to be inherited as a unit.
On the other hand, "disequilibrium" indicates a deviation from the random distribution of genetic alleles in a population. In the context of genetics, it refers to the non-random association of certain alleles at different loci (specific positions on a chromosome) that are physically close to each other. This means that certain alleles will be inherited together more frequently than what would be expected if they were independently assorted.
