Genome-wide association study of three-dimensional facial morphology identifies a variant in PAX3 associated with nasion position.

ABSTRACT: Craniofacial morphology is highly heritable, but little is known about which genetic variants influence normal facial variation in the general population. We aimed to identify genetic variants associated with normal facial variation in a population-based cohort of 15-year-olds from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. 3D high-resolution images were obtained with two laser scanners, these were merged and aligned, and 22 landmarks were identified and their x, y, and z coordinates used to generate 54 3D distances reflecting facial features. 14 principal components (PCs) were also generated from the landmark locations. We carried out genome-wide association analyses of these distances and PCs in 2,185 adolescents and attempted to replicate any significant associations in a furt

SUBMITTER: Paternoster L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3309180 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature