Improved programs for the affected-pedigree-member method of linkage analysis
M. Schroeder, D.L. Brown, D.E. Weeks
Genetic Epidemiology, 11(1), 69-74 (1994)
Abstract
The affected-pedigree-member (APM) method is a non-parametric method
of linkage analysis, which requires no assumptions about how the
trait of interest is inherited [Weeks and Lange, 1988, 1991, 1992;
Lange and Weeks, 1990; Weeks et al., 1992]. The APM method uses only
the affected members of each pedigree who are typed for the
marker(s). Based on the affected members' marker genotypes and the
relationships of the affecteds to each other, the APM method
computes a statistic which provides a measure of marker similarity.
If the affected members are significantly more similar at the marker
locus than expected by chance, then one may conclude that the marker
is not segregating independently of the disease. Since the APM
method tests a hypothesis about marker similarity, and not about
recombination between the marker and disease, it makes and requires
no assumptions about the mode of inheritance of the disease. For
this reason, the APM method has been used for complex diseases such
as Alzheimer's, breast cancer, and melanoma [Pericak-Vance et al.,
1989, 1990; Haile et al., 1990; Hall et al., 1990; St George-Hyslop
et al., 1990; Cannon-Albright et al., 1992]. We would like to
announce the availability of a much improved version of the APM
program package. This version has been improved in several ways, as
outlined below.
Allele-sharing linkage analysis