title: Bayesian model averaging for evaluation of candidate gene effects.
abstract: Statistical assessment of candidate gene effects can be viewed as a problem of variable selection and model comparison. Given a certain number of genes to be considered, many possible models may fit to the data well, each including a specific set of gene effects and possibly their interactions. The question arises as to which of these models is most plausible. Inference about candidate gene effects based on a specific model ignores uncertainty about model choice. Here, a Bayesian model averaging approach is proposed for evaluation of candidate gene effects. The method is implemented through simultaneous sampling of multiple models. By averaging over a set of competing models, the Bayesian model averaging approach incorporates model uncertainty into inferences about candidate gene effects. Features of the method are demonstrated using a simulated data set with ten candidate genes under consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. nick.wu@ansci.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Xiao-Lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gianola
authors.forename: Guilherme J M
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Kent A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Weigel
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005796:Genes; D016014:Linear Models; D008390:Markov Chains; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci