bioRxiv Science⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/339226

Genome-wide association study reveals sex-specific genetic architecture of facial attractiveness

Hu, B.·Shen, N.·Li, J. J.·Kang, H.·Hong, J.·Fletcher, J.·Greenberg, J.·Mailick, M. R.·Lu, Q.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Facial attractiveness is a complex human trait of great interest in both academia and industry. Literature on sociological and phenotypic factors associated with facial attractiveness is rich, but its genetic basis is poorly understood. In this paper, we conducted a genome-wide association study to discover genetic variants associated with facial attractiveness using 3,928 samples in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. We identified two genome-wide significant loci and highlighted a handful of candidate genes, many of which are specifically expressed in human tissues involved in reproduction and hormone synthesis. Additionally, facial attractiveness showed strong and negative genetic correlations with BMI in females and with blood lipids in males. Our analysis also suggested sex-specific selection pressure on variants associated with lower male attractiveness. These results revealed sex-specific genetic architecture of facial attractiveness and provided fundamental new insights into its genetic basis.

Source connections

Explore related subjects

geneticsPreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Hu, B., Shen, N., Li, J. J., Kang, H., Hong, J., Fletcher, J., Greenberg, J., Mailick, M. R., Lu, Q.. 2018-06-06. Genome-wide association study reveals sex-specific genetic architecture of facial attractiveness. https://doi.org/10.1101/339226

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Mapping, stacking and characterization of a novel resistance haplotype against GpaVvrn-virulent Globodera pallida derived from wild potato relative Solanum brevicaule

Potato production is threatened by pests and pathogens. Among the most harmful are the potato cyst nematodes (PCN), including Globodera pallida. The major control measures are potato cultivars harbouring resistance genes. However, virulent nematode populations are breaking through the most broadly applied resistance genes, and therefore novel resistance genes are required to keep control of G. pallida. In this study we map a resistance locus in wild potato relative Solanum brevicaule to the bottom of chromosome 11 (42.83 - 42.85 Mb) using a k-mer based bulked segregant analysis and name the resistant haplotype GpaXIbrc. The presence of the GpaXIbrc marker in the potato genome significantly increases resistance against a GpaVvrn-virulent G. pallida population (AMPOP01). Furthermore, the GpaXIbrc haplotype was stacked with three other resistance haplotypes: GpaXItar, GpaVvrn, and GpaIXvrn. Stacking of the novel GpaXIbrc haplotype to these other resistance haplotypes resulted in a significant increase in resistance. The largest effect was seen in combinations with 'major' resistance haplotypes GpaVvrn + GpaIXvrn and GpaXItar + GpaXIbrc. To determine whether we are dealing with a novel allele, the resistance mechanism underlying the GpaXIbrc haplotype was described after performing an in vitro bioassay. The resistance mechanism was different from GpaXIspl as described in literature, which is also localized at the bottom of chromosome 11. Therefore, we conclude that we found a novel resistance allele originating from S. brevicaule.

genetics↗
bioRxiv2026

Multiple domains of Mata1 transcription factor contribute to binding site specificity

Among homologous transcription factors with the same function, DNA-binding specificity can diverge. Mat1 is a high mobility group (HMG) box transcription factor in budding yeast whose Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans homologs regulate -specific genes but bind distinct cis-regulatory sequences. To identify the protein features underlying this divergence, we generated structure-guided chimeras and measured their activity using species-specific reporters. Replacing any of the four Mat1 regions reduced activation of the S. cerevisiae reporter, while all chimeras retained activity on the C. albicans reporter. Thus, all four regions of Mat - not just the HMG box domain - are important for sequence specificity.

genetics↗
bioRxiv2026

A multi-tissue RNA-seq atlas of adult medaka (Oryzias latipes) under salinity and winter-summer sampling contrasts

Medaka (Oryzias latipes) is a euryhaline and eurythermal teleost widely used in genetics and environmental biology. We generated an RNA-sequencing atlas of 11 adult tissues (brain, eye, gill, heart, intestine, kidney, liver, muscle, spleen, ovary, testis) of the strain d-rR/TOKYO, sampled under two independent environmental contrasts: salinity (freshwater versus seawater) and season (winter versus summer). The freshwater and summer groups, reared indoors and outdoors under long days, provide a third contrast between laboratory and outdoor rearing. Typically, one male and one female were sampled per condition, with ten tissues taken from each individual. Ninety libraries were quantified against the medaka RefSeq transcript set (GCF_053564925.1). The resource comprises gene-level TPM and count matrices, differential expression tables for each tissue and contrast, tissue-specificity indices, human ortholog annotations, sample metadata, and a self-contained interactive browser. Because replication is limited and each condition was sampled on its own date, the differential expression tables are intended for hypothesis generation. The dataset supports studies of gene-expression plasticity and comparisons between medaka and humans.

genetics↗