DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx3x6
title: Variants and QTL associated with variation in genome-wide crossover number

description: Recombination diversifies the genomes of offspring, influences the
 evolutionary dynamics of populations, and ensures that chromosomes
 segregate properly during meiosis. Individuals recombine at different
 rates but observed levels of variation in recombination rate remain mostly
 unexplained. Genetic dissection of differences in recombination rate
 within and between species provides a powerful framework for understanding
 how this trait evolves. In this Perspective, I amalgamate published
 findings from genetic studies of variation in the genome-wide number of
 crossovers  within and between species, and I use exploratory
 analyses to identify preliminary patterns. The narrow-sense heritability
 of crossover count is consistently low, indicating limited resemblance
 among relatives and predicting a weak response to short-term selection.
 Variants associated with crossover number within populations span the
 range of minor allele frequencies. The size of the additive effect of
 recombination-associated variants, along with a negative correlation
 between this effect and minor allele frequency, raises the prospect that
 mutations inducing phenotypic shifts larger than a few crossovers are
 deleterious, though the contributions of methodological bias to these
 patterns deserve investigation. Quantitative trait loci that contribute to
 differences between populations or species alter crossover number in both
 directions, a pattern inconsistent with selection toward a constant
 optimum for this trait. Building on this characterization of genetic
 variation in crossover number within and between species, I describe
 fruitful avenues for future research. Better integrating recombination
 rate into quantitative genetics will reveal the balance of evolutionary
 forces responsible for genetic variation in this trait that shapes
 inheritance.
description: The dataset was manually assembled from published studies that
 identified variants and quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with
 variation in recombination rate within and between species.
description: # Variants and QTL associated with variation in genome-wide crossover
 number
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx3x6](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx3x6) ## Description of the data and file structure The dataset was manually assembled from published studies reporting variants and quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with variation in the genome-wide number of crossovers within and between species. ### Files and variables #### File: GWAS\_dataset.csv **Description:** **Variants associated with genome-wide crossover number by GWAS** ##### Variables * Individuals = number of individuals for which crossover number was estimated. For studies that did not report the number of individuals, the number of families is provided. * NR = not reported. * NA = not applicable. * Regional = regional heritability analysis. * Centi-Morgan (cM) positions are provided for studies that did not report Mb positions. * Among the candidate genes reported by each study, only the subset with independent, experimental evidence for a connection to recombination and/or meiosis is listed. * Study is abbreviated by first letter of last name of first author and 20** year. #### File: BetweenPopsSpecies\_dataset.csv **Description:** **Quantitative trait loci that affect differences in genome-wide crossover number between populations or between species** ##### Variables * Individuals or Lines = number of individuals or lines for which crossover number was estimated. * CL = confidence limit. * Aligned = QTL allele from high-recombination parent increases recombination. * Opposed = QTL from high-recombination parent decreases recombination. * NR = not reported. * NA = not applicable. * Centi-Morgan (cM) positions are provided for studies that did not report Mb positions. * Among the candidate genes reported by each study, only the subset with independent, experimental evidence for a connection to recombination and/or meiosis is listed. * Study is abbreviated by first letter of last name of first author and 20** year. ## Code/software The datasets are in .csv format and can be easily viewed.