Abstract

Genomic medicine in Mexico will be developed by analyzing the diversity of the genomes of Mexican Mestizo populations

Author(s): Conrad Purcell

In association studies of complex diseases, it is possible to develop tagging and imputation strategies to comprehensively analyze common genetic variation by studying the genetic diversity and linkage disequilibrium structure of various populations. A Mexican haplotype map’s potential to aid in the identification of genes associated with prevalent diseases in the Mexican population was the subject of our evaluation. Genome-wide data from Mexican Mestizos from diverse regions with distinct histories of admixture and particular population dynamics served as the basis for our evaluation of genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium patterns, and the extent of haplotype sharing. The Mexican Amerindian group and data from the Hap Map were used to assess ancestry. Our findings show that Mexican subpopulations have genetic differences that should be taken into account when conducting association studies of complex diseases. Additionally, these findings lend credence to the hypothesis that a haplotype map of the Mexican Mestizo population can reduce the number of tag SNPs required to characterize this population’s common genetic variation.