Recombination affects allele-specific expression of deleterious variants in human populations

How the genetic composition of a population changes through stochastic processes, such as genetic drift, in combination with deterministic processes, such as selection, is critical to understanding how phenotypes vary in space and time. Here, we show how evolutionary forces affecting selection, including recombination and effective population size, drive genomic patterns of allele-specific expression (ASE). Integrating tissue-specific genotypic and transcriptomic data from 1500 individuals from two different cohorts, we demonstrate that ASE is less often observed in regions of low recombination, and loci in high or normal recombination regions are more efficient at using ASE to underexpress harmful mutations. By tracking genetic ancestry, we discriminate between ASE variability due to past demographic effects, including subsequent bottlenecks, versus local environment. We observe that ASE is not randomly distributed along the genome and that population parameters influencing the efficacy of natural selection alter ASE levels genome wide.

Automated summary

Understanding how the genetic composition of a population changes through processes like genetic drift and selection is crucial for understanding phenotypic variation in time and space. This study shows how evolutionary forces, including recombination and effective population size, affect genomic patterns of allele-specific expression (ASE). The research integrates tissue-specific genetic and transcriptomic data from two cohorts and demonstrates that ASE is influenced by recombination rates and can be used to underexpress harmful mutations. Genetic ancestry and local environment also have an impact on ASE variability.