Gene mapping studies using DNA markers to detect craniofacial and oral diseases utilize a wide variety of statistical techniques. We are developing a scheme to better integrate these software tools. Since these programs were written elsewhere using a variety of computer languages and input for integrating them with our interval database will streamline the analysis process. The programs include: 1) MENDEL, to calculate log adds and estimate linkage between disease and genetic DNA marker loci, 2) affected sibling pair method 3) affected pedigree marker method 4) CRI-MAP to determine multi-point marker 5) HETERGEN - to test for linkage allowing for possible locus heterogeneity and calculating admixture odds LOD scores 6) SIMLINK - to estimate the probability or power of detecting linkage for a set of family pedigrees. This program simulates cosegregation of trait and marker loci in pedigrees resulting in an objective power calculation to determine if the collection of families is sufficient to demonstrate linkage.
