Manipulating HapMap Data Using HaploView

INTRODUCTIONThe primary goal of the International Haplotype Map Project has been to develop a haplotype map of the human genome that describes the common patterns of genetic variation, in order to accelerate the search for the genetic causes of human disease. Within the project, ~3.9 million distinct single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been genotyped in 270 individuals from four worldwide populations. The project data are available for unrestricted public use at the HapMap website. This site, which is the primary portal to genotype data produced by the project, offers bulk downloads of the data set, as well as interactive data browsing and analysis tools that are not available elsewhere. Advanced users who wish to exercise fine control over the display of regions of high linkage disequilibrium (LD) or who wish to experiment with new algorithms for tag-SNP picking may wish to analyze HapMap data using the HaploView program. This program works well in combination with the HapMap website genome browser. A big advantage of HaploView over the genome browser is that it displays simultaneous high- and low-power views of regions of LD, and gives immediate feedback during scrolling and zooming operations. This protocol describes the use of HaploView to manipulate HapMap data.