A genome-wide association study identifies multiple loci for variation in human ear morphology

Kaustubh Adhikari, Guillermo Reales, Andrew J P Smith, Esra Konka, Jutta Palmen, Mirsha Quinto-Sanchez, Victor Acuña-Alonzo, Claudia Jaramillo, William Arias, Macarena Fuentes, María Pizarro, Rodrigo Barquera Lozano, Gastón Macín Pérez, Jorge Gómez-Valdés, Hugo Villamil-Ramírez, Tábita Hunemeier, Virginia Ramallo, Caio C Silva de Cerqueira, Malena Hurtado, Valeria VillegasVanessa Granja, Carla Gallo, Giovanni Poletti, Lavinia Schuler-Faccini, Francisco M Salzano, Maria-Cátira Bortolini, Samuel Canizales-Quinteros, Francisco Rothhammer, Gabriel Bedoya, Rosario Calderón, Javier Rosique, Michael Cheeseman, Mahmood F Bhutta, Steve E Humphries, Rolando Gonzalez-José, Denis Headon, David Balding, Andrés Ruiz-Linares

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Here we report a genome-wide association study for non-pathological pinna morphology in over 5,000 Latin Americans. We find genome-wide significant association at seven genomic regions affecting: lobe size and attachment, folding of antihelix, helix rolling, ear protrusion and antitragus size (linear regression P values 2 × 10(-8) to 3 × 10(-14)). Four traits are associated with a functional variant in the Ectodysplasin A receptor (EDAR) gene, a key regulator of embryonic skin appendage development. We confirm expression of Edar in the developing mouse ear and that Edar-deficient mice have an abnormally shaped pinna. Two traits are associated with SNPs in a region overlapping the T-Box Protein 15 (TBX15) gene, a major determinant of mouse skeletal development. Strongest association in this region is observed for SNP rs17023457 located in an evolutionarily conserved binding site for the transcription factor Cartilage paired-class homeoprotein 1 (CART1), and we confirm that rs17023457 alters in vitro binding of CART1.

Original languageEnglish
Article number7500
JournalNature Communications
Volume6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 Jun 2015

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