High-resolution DNA sequencing data for 37,000 children and parents who were published for the first time …

The first resource with high-resolution DNA sequencing data for over 37,000 children and parents who have been collected from all over the UK over several decades are now available worldwide.

The data publication is led by the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the children of the 90s (also known as Alspac), the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), born in Bradford (BIB) and supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

This work is supported by the ongoing efforts of population research in Great Britain, a British initiative led by teams at the University of Bristol and the University of College London and supports the longitudinal population studies with the coordination and connection of the current research landscape.

These high-quality genomic data can now be available in the European Genomarchiv (EGA) (EGA) and can be used in combination with the existing longitudinal and survey information from participating families. These combined data resources offer the scientific community the opportunity to achieve valuable knowledge in areas from population genetics to social sciences.

For example, it could be used to examine the effects of genetic variation on the neurological development conditions or obesity in childhood and how these are influenced by environmental factors.

Longitudinal examinations follow a large number of participants over several years and repeatedly examine them at regular times through blood tests, body measurements and health questionnaires to determine changes over time.

Before that, large DNA sequence records usually concentrated on children with rare conditions or cohorts for adults. This new data publication focuses on the sequencing of “birth cohorts”, which are population -related cohorts of people who followed from birth to adolescence or early adulthood.

In order to create this recent data publication, researchers from the Sanger Institute sequence all 20,000 genes in human genome, known as exomsequoistion, in rehearsals of 8,436 children and 3,215 parents from the children of the 90s, 7,667 children and 6,925 parents from the MCS and 8,784 children and 2,875 parents from BIB.

These three British studies on the birth cohort in Great Britain are recognized internationally, and data from these cohorts have already been used to examine the contribution of common genetic variants to phenotypes that range from obesity in children to parent behavior and anxiety and depression.

For example, by using children from the 90s data, the researchers found that a genetic variant was mentioned in a gene Mc4r is associated with an increased weight throughout childhood, and studies like this could help to design effective interventions on weight management and to change the way in which society looks at obesity. This specific study used targeted DNA sequencing of the Mc4r Genes, while the new exomsequencing data reported here enable similar examinations of other genes in human genome. This will help promote more discoveries and research that could benefit human health.

The team made the anonymized data for approved researchers as accessible as possible, including the development of a data note (available on Wellcome Open Research) and other materials to support the use by those who are less familiar with large -scale sequencing data.

In the coming months, this DNA sequence data resource will be expanded to capture all participants in these cohorts and additional cohorts. The value of this data is improved by harmonizing the data in the various cohorts and provides a more powerful resource than a study could achieve in isolation.

Longitudinal population studies from Great Britain already have a major impact on biomedical research worldwide. This significant addition of data for the entire Exomsequencing will continue to change our understanding of the development of complex characteristics and diseases throughout the course of life. “

Dr. Carl Anderson, Interim Head of Human Genetics, Wellcome Sanger Institute

Dr. Richard Evans, a preliminary head of the population health at the Medical Research Council, said: “The cohorts and longitudinal population studies in Great Britain are an extraordinary national capital that is made possible by participating a large number of people. Diseases to prevent precision and personalized treatments Price performance ratio.

Professor Nicholas Timpson, co-director of population research in Great Britain and the main underneath of the children of the 90s at the University of Bristol, said: “The success of this initiative shows that the coordination in Cohort studies can be incredibly powerful, and I am looking forward to the fact that the research results from these imaginative new genetic data resources.

Dr. Hilary Martin, group leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “This is one of the largest sequenced data records collected at the birth of the general population, and creates a unique resource for the research community with several use purposes. By combining the existing health and lifestyle data, the initial studies with the previous studies with the previous studies In the future, you can plan to seize rehearsals in other longitudinal and high-quality resource that will continue to use the initial information.

Professor Matthew Hurles, director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “Great Science is based on cooperation and this publication would not have been possible without the families themselves of the hard work of teams that manage these longitudinal studies, and persistent investments in these cohorts, in particular from Wellcome, and the analysis of the fountain. High -quality, accessible genomic data for researchers worldwide.