The resolution of the genetics of gene expression
1 Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland and 2 Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, CB10 1HH, Cambridge, UK
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Emmanouil.Dermitzakis{at}unige.ch
Received August 17, 2009; Accepted August 18, 2009
Understanding the influence of genetics on the molecular mechanisms underpinning human phenotypic diversity is fundamental to being able to predict health outcomes and treat disease. To interrogate the role of genetics on cellular state and function, gene expression has been extensively used. Past and present studies have highlighted important patterns of heritability, population differentiation and tissue-specificity in gene expression. Current and future studies are taking advantage of systems biology-based approaches and advances in sequencing technology: new methodology aims to translate regulatory networks to enrich pathways responsible for disease etiology and 2nd generation sequencing now offers single-molecular resolution of the transcriptome providing unprecedented information on the structural and genetic characteristics of gene expression. Such advances are leading to a future where rich cellular phenotypes will facilitate understanding of the transmission of genetic effect from the gene to organism.