Genetic building blocks of height revealed

The worlds largest study into the genetics behind human height has discovered the traits vast complexity.

Researchers at The University of Queensland took a leading role in the analysis of more than a quarter of a million samples, finding hundreds of new genes that play a role in determining height.

Co-senior investigator Professor Peter Visscher, from UQs Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), said the discovery would help provide a model for genetic studies of other human traits and of diseases such as psychiatric disorders and dementia.

Just as neuroscientists use experimental organisms as a model to study brain function, geneticists use human height as a model trait to study genetic variation, he said.

The study involved more than 300 organisations across the world and found 697 DNA variants which influence height.

Joint-lead author and QBI researcher Dr Jian Yang said the findings were significant because they proved exactly how complicated human height is.

The DNA variant with the largest effect on height only has an impact of about five millimetres, and most of the other variants have a much smaller effect, Dr Yang said.

Taken together, all DNA variants we discovered account for height differences spanning approximately 11 centimetres.

This shows that the genetic basis for height isnt controlled by a single gene or small group of genes there are thousands of genes involved.

Its estimated that about 80 per cent of a normal healthy individuals height is controlled by heritable genetic factors, and weve only discovered around one-fifth of those genes.

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Genetic building blocks of height revealed