On The Relationship Between Epistasis And Genetic Variance-Heterogeneity

Abstract

Epistasis and genetic variance heterogeneity are two non-additive genetic inheritance patterns that are often, but not always, related. Here we use theoretical examples and empirical results from analyses of experimental data to illustrate the connection between the two. This includes an introduction to the relationship between epistatic gene-action, statistical epistasis and genetic variance heterogeneity and a brief discussion about how other genetic processes than epistasis can also give rise to genetic variance heterogeneity.\n\nHighlightGenetic effects on the trait variance, rather than the mean, have been found in several studies. Here we discuss how this sometimes, but not always, can be caused by epistasis.