The impact of QTL sharing and properties on multi-breed GWAS in cattle: a simulation study

Context Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses can be used to detect variants that affect quantitative traits. Multi-breed GWAS may lead increased power precision compared with within-breed GWAS. However, not all causal segregate in breeds, multiple breeds have different allele frequencies breeds. It is known how differences minor frequency (MAF) multi-breed meta-analyses.Aims Our aim was study the impact of MAF at on mapping precision.Methods We real imputed sequence data simulate traits three dairy cattle Causal (QTN) were simulated according following scenarios: a similar lower one breed than other, each only segregated analysed methods compare precision: GWAS, meta-analysis.Key results indicated analyses (multi-breed or meta-analysis) detected more QTN did improved most scenarios. when differed between specific, advantage over within decreased. Regardless type (similar segregating breed), performed better demonstrating benefits find large obtained meta-analysis confirming suitable approximation GWAS.Conclusions showed generally does even MAF, perform worse GWAS.Implications confirmed meta-analysis.