Zhi Yu, Tim H H Coorens, Md Mesbah Uddin, Kristin G Ardlie, Niall Lennon, Pradeep Natarajan
Germline variation and somatic mutation are intricately connected and together shape human traits and disease risks. Germline variants are present from conception, but they vary between individuals and accumulate over generations. By contrast, somatic mutations accumulate throughout life in a mosaic manner within an individual due to intrinsic and extrinsic sources of mutations and selection pressures acting on cells. Recent advancements, such as improved detection methods and increased resources for association studies, have drastically expanded our ability to investigate germline and somatic genetic variation and compare underlying mutational processes...
March 28, 2024: Nature Reviews. Genetics