Mapping by admixture linkage disequilibrium: advances, limitations and guidelines.
Mapping by admixture linkage disequilibrium (MALD) is a theoretically powerful, although unproven, approach to mapping genetic variants that are involved in human disease. MALD takes advantage of long-range haplotypes that are generated by gene flow among recently admixed ethnic groups, such as African-Americans and Latinos. Under ideal circumstances, MALD will have more power to detect some genetic variants than other types of genome-wide association study that are carried out among more ethnically homogeneous populations. It will also require 200-500 times fewer markers, providing a significant economic advantage. The MALD approach is now being applied, with results expected in the near future.
Smith
Michael W
MW
Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, USA. smithm@ncifcrf.gov
O'Brien
Stephen J
SJ
D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic