Inheritance of six anthropometric traits in Vaidyas of West Bengal, India

BACKGROUND: Anthropometric traits are important quantitative traits used by biological anthropologists. Surprisingly little is known about their pattern of inter-generational transmission, probably due to lack of use of developed statistical analysis in previous studies. AIM: The present study is an attempt to approach the problem of the inheritance of anthropometric traits through advanced statistical applications. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Measurements of 824 individuals from 200 families including two generations were collected from Barasat, West Bengal. The study includes age correction by regression, familial correlation, heritability estimation and segregation analyses. RESULTS: Results showed that there is strong involvement of the familial component in variation of anthropometric traits. The magnitude of heritability (h2= 57-83%) also supports their strong genetic basis. The results indicated that additive genes are not the only contributing factor; the effect of environment is considerable and that of dominant genes not negligible. Due to genetic interaction with the local environment (specific for each trait), heritabilities vary from one trait to another. Length measurements have higher heritability than breadth measurements. Segregation analysis revealed that either the additive or dominant major gene (MG) is responsible for this effect, which follows simple Mendelian transmission. Beside this, the possibility of the existence of an additional minor gene cannot be discarded. CONCLUSION: Anthropometric traits have a genetic basis but their mode of inheritance is quite complex in nature. There is evidence of major gene effect (along with polygenes) with Mendelian transmission.