The use of ABI sequencing equipment in the genetic dissection of complex traits: identification of susceptibility genes for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Schizophrenia using high
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Our current research in the field of genetic analysis of complex/polygenic traits is focused on the genetic dissection of type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, and subarachnoid haemorrhage through genotyping affected sibpairs on an AB1377 genetic analysis system. Our wish to further expand our activities towards the identification of susceptibility genes involved in psychiatric disorders, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Schizophrenia, is hampered both by the capacity of our current equipment and methods of analysis. Improvements in the analysis will involve, amongst other things, increasing the numbers of molecular markers employed and efficient handling the concomitant increase in data production and analysis. Investment in additional equipment and new technologies is crucial to solve this problem. Additionally, the commonly used affected sibpair approach is of limited use for genetic studies on these psychiatric disorders and we propose implementing a DNA pooling strategy as an extension of our current methodology to permit analysis of many more markers and individuals. The DNA pooling strategy is based on genotyping both affected and normal individuals on an ABI Prism 377 genetic analysis system using two pooled DNA samples and a large number of DNA polymorphisms (STRPs: Short Tandem Repeat Polymorphisms). This approach offers the possibility of detecting significant association between a given polymorphism and disease phenotype in a small subset of affected individuals. Advances in this field will be widely applicable for studying a variety of complex diseases and be of benefit to other research groups in the Netherlands.