Novel genotyping algorithms for rare variants significantly improve the accuracy of Applied Biosystems™ Axiom™ array genotyping calls: Retrospective evaluation of UK Biobank array data.

The UK Biobank genotyped about 500k participants using Applied Biosystems Axiom microarrays. Participants were subsequently sequenced by the UK Biobank Exome Sequencing Consortium. Axiom genotyping was highly accurate in comparison to sequencing results, for almost 100,000 variants both directly genotyped on the UK Biobank Axiom array and via whole exome sequencing. However, in a study using the exome sequencing results of the first 50k individuals as reference (truth), it was observed that the positive predictive value (PPV) decreased along with the number of heterozygous array calls per variant. We developed a novel addition to the genotyping algorithm, Rare Heterozygous Adjusted (RHA), to significantly improve PPV in variants with minor allele frequency below 0.01%. The improvement in PPV was roughly equal when comparing to the exome sequencing of 50k individuals, or to the more recent ~200k individuals. Sensitivity was higher in the 200k data. The improved calling algorithm, along with enhanced quality control of array probesets, significantly improved the positive predictive value and the sensitivity of array data, making it suitable for the detection of ultra-rare variants.

Dynamic model based algorithms for screening and genotyping over 100 K SNPs on oligonucleotide microarrays.

MOTIVATION: A high density of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) coverage on the genome is desirable and often an essential requirement for population genetics studies. Region-specific or chromosome-specific linkage studies also benefit from the availability of as many high quality SNPs as possible. The availability of millions of SNPs from both Perlegen and the public domain and the development of an efficient microarray-based assay for genotyping SNPs has brought up some interesting analytical challenges. Effective methods for the selection of optimal subsets of SNPs spanning the genome and methods for accurately calling genotypes from probe hybridization patterns have enabled the development of a new microarray-based system for robustly genotyping over 100,000 SNPs per sample. RESULTS: We introduce a new dynamic model-based algorithm (DM) for screening over 3 million SNPs and genotyping over 100,000 SNPs. The model is based on four possible underlying states: Null, A, AB and B for each probe quartet. We calculate a probe-level log likelihood for each model and then select between the four competing models with an SNP-level statistical aggregation across multiple probe quartets to provide a high-quality genotype call along with a quality measure of the call. We assess performance with HapMap reference genotypes, informative Mendelian inheritance relationship in families, and consistency between DM and another genotype classification method. At a call rate of 95.91% the concordance with reference genotypes from the HapMap Project is 99.81% based on over 1.5 million genotypes, the Mendelian error rate is 0.018% based on 10 trios, and the consistency between DM and MPAM is 99.90% at a comparable rate of 97.18%. We also develop methods for SNP selection and optimal probe selection. AVAILABILITY: The DM algorithm is available in Affymetrix's Genotyping Tools software package and in Affymetrix's GDAS software package. See http://www.affymetrix.com for further information. 10 K and 100 K mapping array data are available on the Affymetrix website.

Probe selection for high-density oligonucleotide arrays.

High-density oligonucleotide microarrays enable simultaneous monitoring of expression levels of tens of thousands of transcripts. For accurate detection and quantitation of transcripts in the presence of cellular mRNA, it is essential to design microarrays whose oligonucleotide probes produce hybridization intensities that accurately reflect the concentration of original mRNA. We present a model-based approach that predicts optimal probes by using sequence and empirical information. We constructed a thermodynamic model for hybridization behavior and determined the influence of empirical factors on the effective fitting parameters. We designed Affymetrix GeneChip probe arrays that contained all 25-mer probes for hundreds of human and yeast transcripts and collected data over a 4,000-fold concentration range. Multiple linear regression models were built to predict hybridization intensities of each probe at given target concentrations, and each intensity profile is summarized by a probe response metric. We selected probe sets to represent each transcript that were optimized with respect to responsiveness, independence (degree to which probe sequences are nonoverlapping), and uniqueness (lack of similarity to sequences in the expressed genomic background). We show that this approach is capable of selecting probes with high sensitivity and specificity for high-density oligonucleotide arrays.

Algorithms for large-scale genotyping microarrays.

MOTIVATION: Analysis of many thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across whole genome is crucial to efficiently map disease genes and understanding susceptibility to diseases, drug efficacy and side effects for different populations and individuals. High density oligonucleotide microarrays provide the possibility for such analysis with reasonable cost. Such analysis requires accurate, reliable methods for feature extraction, classification, statistical modeling and filtering. RESULTS: We propose the modified partitioning around medoids as a classification method for relative allele signals. We use the average silhouette width, separation and other quantities as quality measures for genotyping classification. We form robust statistical models based on the classification results and use these models to make genotype calls and calculate quality measures of calls. We apply our algorithms to several different genotyping microarrays. We use reference types, informative Mendelian relationship in families, and leave-one-out cross validation to verify our results. The concordance rates with the single base extension reference types are 99.36% for the SNPs on autosomes and 99.64% for the SNPs on sex chromosomes. The concordance of the leave-one-out test is over 99.5% and is 99.9% higher for AA, AB and BB cells. We also provide a method to determine the gender of a sample based on the heterozygous call rate of SNPs on the X chromosome. See http://www.affymetrix.com for further information. The microarray data will also be available from the Affymetrix web site. AVAILABILITY: The algorithms will be available commercially in the Affymetrix software package.

Genotyping over 100,000 SNPs on a pair of oligonucleotide arrays.

We present a genotyping method for simultaneously scoring 116,204 SNPs using oligonucleotide arrays. At call rates >99%, reproducibility is >99.97% and accuracy, as measured by inheritance in trios and concordance with the HapMap Project, is >99.7%. Average intermarker distance is 23.6 kb, and 92% of the genome is within 100 kb of a SNP marker. Average heterozygosity is 0.30, with 105,511 SNPs having minor allele frequencies >5%.