A spectral framework to map QTLs affecting joint differential networks of gene co-expression

The authors developed a statistical framework called spectral network QTL (snQTL) to identify genetic loci that influence gene co-expression networks using spectral tensor decomposition. Applying this method to three-spined stickleback data, they identified genetic regions that affect global co-expression patterns, revealing associations that would be missed by traditional eQTL methods and offering new insights into complex genotype and phenotype relationships.