Increasing the efficiency of genomic searches for linkage in complex disorders by DNA pooling of affected sib-pairs.

Detection of linkage using a systematic genome scan in nuclear families including an affected sibling pair is an important initial step on the path to cloning susceptibility genes for complex genetic disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. We describe a novel method in which the pooled genotype of each affected sib-pair is determined and used in the screening stage of a two-stage genome scan. This method, which involves a single PCR reaction per sib-pair in the screening stage can reduce the required number of genotypings to less than 20% of those required in a conventional single stage procedure whilst maintaining a similar power and probability of type I error.