From R.A. Fisher's 1918 Paper to GWAS a Century Later. Issue 4 (3rd April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Visscher, Peter M; Goddard, Michael E
• Is Part Of: Genetics. Volume 211:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 1125
• Page End: 1130
• Publication Date: 2019-04-03
• Subjects: Fisher 1918 -- GWAS -- quantitative trait; Genetics -- Periodicals; 576.5
• DOI: 10.1534/genetics.118.301594
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-6731

Abstract

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.