Recursive Test of Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in Tetraploids

Lidan Sun; Jingwen Gan; Libo Jiang; Rongling Wu

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2020.11.006

Recursive Test of Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in Tetraploids

Trends Genet. 2021 Jun;37(6):504-513. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.11.006. Epub 2020 Dec 16.

Authors

Lidan Sun¹, Jingwen Gan², Libo Jiang², Rongling Wu³

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
² Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Center for Computational Biology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
³ Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Center for Computational Biology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Center for Statistical Genetics, Departments of Public Health Sciences and Statistics, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. Electronic address: rwu@bjfu.edu.cn.

PMID: 33341281
DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.11.006

Abstract

Testing for deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) can provide fundamental information about genetic variation and evolutionary processes in natural populations. In contrast to diploids, where genotype frequencies remain constant after a single episode of random mating, polyploids, characterized by polysomic inheritance, approach HWE gradually. Here, we mathematically show the asymptotic trajectory of tetraploid equilibrium from any initial genotype frequencies. We formulate a statistical framework to test and estimate the degree of deviation from HWE at individual loci in allotetraploids and autotetraploids. Knowledge about HWE test fills an important gap in population genetic studies of tetraploids related to their evolution and ecology.

Keywords: EM algorithm; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium; double reduction; polyploid; statistical test.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Physiological / genetics*
Chromosome Segregation
Gene Frequency
Genetics, Population / methods*
Genotype
Germ Cells
Heterozygote
Homozygote
Panicum / genetics
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Polyploidy
Tetraploidy*