PAPERZILLA
Crunching Academic Papers into Bite-sized Insights.
About
Sign Out
← Back to papers

Life SciencesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular BiologyGenetics

A saturated map of common genetic variants associated with human height
SHARE
Overview
Paper Summary
Conflicts of Interest
Identified Weaknesses
Rating Explanation
Good to know
Topic Hierarchy
File Information
Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
We Found (Almost) All the Common Genes for Height! (But mostly in Europeans)
Using a genome-wide association study of 5.4 million individuals, researchers identified 12,111 independent SNPs associated with height, accounting for almost all common SNP-based heritability. These SNPs cluster within specific genomic regions covering ~21% of the genome, with higher density regions enriched for genes related to skeletal growth. Prediction accuracy is high in European populations but lower in other ancestries, suggesting the need for greater diversity in future studies.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Weaknesses
Focus on Common Variants
The study primarily focuses on common genetic variations, neglecting the potential contribution of rare variants to height variation.
Limited Prediction Accuracy in Diverse Ancestries
The prediction accuracy of polygenic scores is considerably lower in non-European ancestry populations, highlighting the need for larger, more diverse datasets for accurate prediction across different ancestries.
Limited Causal Gene Identification
Despite the large sample size, the study is limited in its ability to definitively identify causal genes and the precise mechanisms by which genes and variants influence height.
Rating Explanation
This study represents a significant advancement in understanding the genetic architecture of human height by using a massive dataset and diverse ancestries. The comprehensive mapping of height-associated SNPs provides valuable insights into the genetic basis of this complex trait. While limitations exist regarding the focus on common variants and limited prediction accuracy in diverse populations, the strengths of the study, including the large sample size and detailed analysis of genomic distribution, outweigh these limitations.
Good to know
This is our free standard analysis. Paperzilla Pro fact-checks every citation, researches author backgrounds and funding sources, and uses advanced AI reasoning for more thorough insights.
Explore Pro →
File Information
Original Title:
A saturated map of common genetic variants associated with human height
File Name:
s41586-022-05275-y.pdf
[download]
File Size:
18.82 MB
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 05:19 PM
Privacy:
🌐 Public
© 2025 Paperzilla. All rights reserved.

If you are not redirected automatically, click here.