Enhanced QTL Linkage Analysis with DNA Pooling by Means of Monte Carlo EM

Estimation of genetic parameters related to loci underlying quantitative traits is performed by studying the association between phenotypes and the inheritance patterns of loci with genotype readily identifiable by laboratorial methods. Genotyping every individual is expensive, and techniques involving pooled DNA samples have been suggested. This strategy involves an inherent information loss because of pooling. Furthermore, the methods proposed so far do not make use of all the information contained in the pooled sample. In this work, we introduce a novel approach based on the Monte Carlo EM algorithm. An example is developed with half-sib families, an experimental design where DNA pooling is especially suited.

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