Empirical estimates of Bonferroni corrections for use in chromosome mapping studies with the BXD recombinant inbred strains

Behav Genet. 1992 Nov;22(6):677-84. doi: 10.1007/BF01066638.

Abstract

Most chromosome mapping efforts with the BXD recombinant inbred (RI) strains involve comparisons between a trait of interest and each of a large number of marker loci for evidence of linkage. Such multiple tests or comparisons greatly increase the Type I error rate compared to the single-test situation. Perhaps the most direct way to obtain multiple-test error rates is to employ a Bonferroni correction, where the single-test alpha is multiplied by the number of independent (nonredundant) comparisons (k) to yield a multiple-test alpha that protects against even one fortuitous association with any of the markers. Several empirical estimates of k are discussed for the published BXD marker set of 142 mapped loci and the newer unpublished marker set (October 1991) comprised of 352 marker loci. Reasonable estimates of k appear to be roughly 40 and 65 for these two marker sets, respectively.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromosome Mapping*
  • Genetic Linkage / genetics
  • Genetic Markers / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains / genetics*
  • Models, Genetic
  • Recombination, Genetic / genetics*

Substances

  • Genetic Markers