One-third of gene-protein links show nonlinear dose effects in UK Biobank analysis
Genetic effects often deviate from standard additive models, according to a paper in Nature Communications. Researchers analyzed up to 399,943 UK Biobank participants across 2,906 plasma proteins and 55 quantitative traits. About one-third of cognate gene-protein relationships exhibited nonlinear dose responses. The team identified recessive FUT10 variants associated with reduced lung function and validated the findings in the All of Us cohort. Two-degree-of-freedom models substantially improved statistical power when the underlying trait was partially recessive. The framework partitions additive and nonadditive heritability components at biobank scale without relying on Hardy-Weinberg assumptions.
Large biobanks can now account for nonadditive gene dose effects. This helps drug developers and geneticists identify disease targets more accurately. It also explains why some traits show conflicting inheritance patterns in the literature.
Written by the Genomes desk from the primary source cited and linked above and checked against it. Research use only; not medical advice. Corrections: [email protected].