Because most expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) studies measure the steady-state level of mRNAs, they cannot distinguish between changes in transcript production and decay rates. Pai et al. measured mRNA decay from 16,000 genes in 70 Yoruban HapMap lymphoblastoid cell lines. For ∼10% of genes, steady-state expression levels correlated with variation in decay rate variation, and 195 loci — dubbed RNA decay quantitative trait loci (RdQTLs) — were identified as being associated with this variation.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Pai, A. A. et al. The contribution of RNA decay quantitative trait loci to inter-individual variation in steady-state gene expression levels. PLoS Genet. 8, e1003000 (2012)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stower, H. Genetic variation contributing to mRNA decay. Nat Rev Genet 13, 826 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3378
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3378
