The increased adoption of DNA sequencing in genetic association studies is uncovering a wide range of population genetic variation, including rare genetic variants. Although this rarity limits the statistical power of associating individual rare variants with phenotypes, this Review discusses the diverse methods for leveraging the collective effects of rare variants in order to uncover important roles in complex traits, particularly human diseases.
- Gundula Povysil
- Slavé Petrovski
- David B. Goldstein