Cited by 1,737Genetic Associations and EpidemiologyGenetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and AnimalsGenetic and phenotypic traits in livestock

Fast and accurate genotype imputation in genome-wide association studies through pre-phasing

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Howie, Bryan, Fuchsberger, Christian, Stephens, Matthew, Marchini, Jonathan, Abecasis, Gonçalo R·2012·Nature Genetics

Abstract

The 1000 Genomes Project and disease-specific sequencing efforts are producing large collections of haplotypes that can be used as reference panels for genotype imputation in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, imputing from large reference panels with existing methods imposes a high computational burden. We introduce a strategy called 'pre-phasing' that maintains the accuracy of leading methods while reducing computational costs. We first statistically estimate the haplotypes for each individual within the GWAS sample (pre-phasing) and then impute missing genotypes into these estimated haplotypes. This reduces the computational cost because (i) the GWAS samples must be phased only once, whereas standard methods would implicitly repeat phasing with each reference panel update, and (ii) it is much faster to match a phased GWAS haplotype to one reference haplotype than to match two unphased GWAS genotypes to a pair of reference haplotypes. We implemented our approach in the MaCH and IMPUTE2 frameworks, and we tested it on data sets from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 (WTCCC2), the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN), the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and the 1000 Genomes Project. This strategy will be particularly valuable for repeated imputation as reference panels evolve.

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Authors
Howie, B., Fuchsberger, C., Stephens, M., Marchini, J., & Abecasis, G. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Chicago (US)
  • University of Michigan (US)
  • Centre for Human Genetics (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Stephens, Matthew
  • Marchini, Jonathan
  • Abecasis, Gonçalo R
Venue
Nature Genetics
Published
2012-07-22
Volume
44
Issue
8
Pages
955-959
ISSN
  • 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1718
OpenAlex
W2111307685
Cited by
1,737
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 40 · 2025: 61 · 2024: 74 · 2023: 88 · 2022: 100 · 2021: 136 · 2020: 145 · 2019: 157 · 2018: 155 · 2017: 175 · 2016: 188 · 2015: 193 · 2014: 141 · 2013: 72 · 2012: 10
FWCI
80.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Michigan
  • Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
  • Wellcome Trust (085475, 090532, 076113)
  • Helse Midt-Norge
  • Norges Forskningsråd
  • U.S. Public Health Service (HGO2585)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL109964, R01HL117626)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH084698)
  • National Human Genome Research Institute (HG005552, HG005581, R01HG002651, U01HG006513, RC2HG005552, R01HG007022, RC2HG005581)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK0855840)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
Keywords
genotype imputation, haplotype phasing, genome-wide association study, reference panel, computational complexity reduction, Mach, 1000 Genomes Project, haplotype matching
MeSH terms
Genotype, Haplotypes, Humans, Human Genome Project, Computational Biology, Databases, Genetic, Genome-Wide Association Study

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