Mathematical Assumptions versus Biological Reality: Myths in Affected Sib Pair Linkage Analysis

Affected sib pair (ASP) analysis has become common ever since it was shown that, under very specific assumptions, ASPs afford a powerful design for linkage analysis. In 2003, Vieland and Huang, on the basis of a “fundamental heterogeneity equation,” proved that heterogeneity and epistasis are confounded in ASP linkage analysis. A much more serious limitation of ASP linkage analysis is the implicit assumption that randomly sampled sib pairs share half their alleles identical by descent at any locus, whereas a critical assumption underlying Vieland and Huang’s proof is that of joint Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium proportions at two trait loci. These are considered as examples of mathematical assumptions that may not always reflect biological reality. More-robust sib-pair designs and appropriate methods for their analysis have long been available.