From R.A. Fisher's 1918 Paper to GWAS a Century Later

Peter M Visscher; Michael E Goddard

doi:10.1534/genetics.118.301594

From R.A. Fisher's 1918 Paper to GWAS a Century Later

Genetics. 2019 Apr;211(4):1125-1130. doi: 10.1534/genetics.118.301594.

Authors

Peter M Visscher^{1

2}, Michael E Goddard^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4072.
² Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4072.
³ Centre for AgriBioscience, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3083.
⁴ Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 3004.

Abstract

The genetics and evolution of complex traits, including quantitative traits and disease, have been hotly debated ever since Darwin. A century ago, a paper from R.A. Fisher reconciled Mendelian and biometrical genetics in a landmark contribution that is now accepted as the main foundation stone of the field of quantitative genetics. Here, we give our perspective on Fisher's 1918 paper in the context of how and why it is relevant in today's genome era. We mostly focus on human trait variation, in part because Fisher did so too, but the conclusions are general and extend to other natural populations, and to populations undergoing artificial selection.

Keywords: Fisher 1918; GWAS; quantitative trait.

Publication types

Historical Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Genetics / history*
Genome-Wide Association Study / history
Genome-Wide Association Study / methods*
History, 20th Century
History, 21st Century
Humans