Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) Software

Many good software modules for statistical analysis of genomic data are offered in the public domain. While many historically have been created as standalone packages, very good tools are now available on the free R platform. [See Yandell's R Introduction for Biologists.] Some other packages use the commercial MatLab environment. Both R and MatLab are available on UNIX/Linux, Windows (95/98/NT4/2000/ME on Intel-type machines), and MacOS (7.6 or later for MatLab, 8.6 or later for R). Below are some highlights. Follow links to find other modules and packages. Return to Statistical Genomics References.

Inbred QTL Software

See QTL References for full citations. This list includes some software explicitly for eQTL. For more software, see Genetic Linkage Analysis.
DIRECT
least squares optimized code (fast)
Ljungberg et al. (2002, 2003)
eQTLViewer
Expression QTL viewer
Zou, Zeng (2007)
JoinMap
linkage maps for multiple crosses
Stam (1993)
MapManager/QTX
complex trait analysis
Meer, Cudmore, Manly (2004)
MapQTL
multiple QTL
van Ooijen, Maliepaard (1996)
Multimapper
Bayesian QTL
Sillanpää, Arjas (1998, 1999)
MultiQTL
multiple QTL
Mester, Ronin, Nevo, Korol (2004)
PlabQTL
least squares QTL mapping
Utz, Melchinger (1994)
Pseudomarker
multiple imputation for one or more QTL
Sen, Churchill (2001)
QTL Cartographer
IM, CIM, MIM, MTM
Basten, Weir, Zeng (1995)
QTLNetwork
Yang, Hu, Ye, Zhu (2005)
R/bqtl
least squares Bayesian mapping
Berry CC (1998)
R/qtl
QTL diagnostics, IM/EM, multiple imputation
Sen, Churchill (2001); Broman, Wu, Sen, Churchill (2003)
R/qtlbim
Bayesian interval mapping, epistasis, GxE
Yi et al. (2005, 2007); Yandell et al. (2007)
R/subcon
meta-analysis for QTL across closely related congenic crosses
Clee, Yandell et al. (2006)
WebQTL, GeneNetwork:
Online QLT mapping using phenotype repositories (gene expression, etc.)
Wang, Williams, Manly (2003)

Outbred Software

Animal Biotechnology
Streaming video, UC Davis
GOLD
Graphical Overview of Linkage Disequilibrium
Abecasis, Cookson (2000)
GDPC
connecting researchers with multiple integrated data sources
Casstevens, Buckler (2004)
GRAMMAR (see also R/GenABEL)
genome-wide pedigree-based quantitative trait loci association analysis
Aulchenko, De Koning, Haley (2007)
GRIDQTL
Seaton et al. (2006)
Haploview
analysis and visualization of LD and haplotype maps
Barrett, Fry, Maller, Daly (2005)
HAPPY
fine-mapping quantitative trait loci in outbred animal stocks
Mott, Talbot, Turri, Collins, Flint (2000)
JLIN (java-based linkage disequilibrium plotter)
Carter, McCaskie, Palmer (2006)
JoinMap
linkage maps for multiple crosses
Stam (1993)
LDA
java-based linkage disequilibrium analyzer
Ding, Zhou, He, Shen (2003)
Merlin
rapid analysis of dense genetic maps using sparse gene flow trees
Abecasis, Cherny, Cookson, Cardon (2002)
MIDAS
analysis and visualisation of interallelic disequilibrium between multiallelic markers
Gaunt, Rodriguez, Zapata, Day (2006)
MTDFREML
multiple trait derivative free REML
Boldman et al. (1995); Zhang et al. van Bleck (2006)
Outmap
outcrossed trees
Butcher et al. (2002)
PowerMarker
genetic marker analysis
Liu, Muse (2005)
QTL Express
mapping quantitative trait loci in simple and complex pedigrees
Seaton et al. (2002)
QxPak
mixed model statistical framework for inbred lines, within population studies, or mixtures of populations or crosses; allows multitrait and multiQTL analyses
Pérez-Enciso, Misztal (2004)
R/psmix
population structure inference via maximum likelihood
Wu, Nianjun, Hongyu (2006)
R/GenABEL
genome-wide association analysis
Aulchenko Y (see Aulchenko, De Koning, Haley 2007)
R/qtl
four-way cross
Broman et al. (2003)
SOLAR (Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines)
QTL mapping/variance component analysis in large pedigrees, possible to include multiple loci, dominance effects, and epistasis.
Almasy, Blangero (1998); Blangero et al. (2000,2001)
Spagedi
SPAtial GEnetic structure at the individual or population levels
Hardy, Vekemans (2002)
Structure
inference of population structure using multilocus genotype data
Pritchard, Stephens, Donnelly (2000)
Tassel
unified mixed-model method for association mapping that accounts for multiple levels of relatedness
Yu et al. Buckler (2006); Zhang, Todhunter, Buckler, van Vleck (2006);
Unphased
association and TDT for haplotypes
Dudbridge (2003)

Return to Statistical Genomics References.

Brian Yandell (yandell@stat.wisc.edu)