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Genetics of vegetarianism: A genome-wide association study
Nabeel R Yaseen1, Catriona L K Barnes2, Lingwei Sun3
1Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America.
Plos One
|October 4, 2023
Summary
Genetics plays a role in vegetarianism. A genome-wide association study identified genetic variants associated with strict vegetarian diets, suggesting links to lipid metabolism and brain function.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Human Nutrition
- Dietary Behavior Research
Background:
- Dietary preferences, including vegetarianism, have a genetic component.
- The genetic underpinnings of strict vegetarianism are not well understood.
- Genetic factors influence taste perception, metabolism, and physiological responses to food.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genetic loci associated with strict vegetarianism using a genome-wide association study (GWAS).
- To explore potential physiological pathways, such as lipid metabolism and brain function, related to vegetarianism.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) comparing 5,324 strict vegetarians to 329,455 controls from the UK Biobank.
- Utilized the Functional Mapping and Annotation (FUMA) platform and Multi-marker Analysis of GenoMic Annotation (MAGMA) tool for gene analysis.
Main Results:
- Identified one genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on chromosome 18 associated with vegetarianism (rs72884519).
- Discovered 201 suggestively significant variants and identified 34 genes potentially involved in vegetarianism.
- Three genes (RIOK3, RMC1, NPC1) showed genome-wide significance at the gene level.
Conclusions:
- Genetic factors contribute to the choice of a strict vegetarian diet.
- Genes linked to vegetarianism are involved in lipid metabolism and brain function.
- Further research can investigate the physiological mechanisms underlying genetic predispositions to vegetarianism.
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