QTL
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Genetics
| Stands for | Quantitative trait locus |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
QTL stands for Quantitative trait locus, a genetics abbreviation.
Region of the genome associated with variation in a measurable trait that varies continuously, such as height, crop yield, milk production or blood pressure. QTL mapping in crosses of plants or animals locates genes underlying such traits.
Example: A major QTL on chromosome 2 explained 30% of the variation in fruit size.
Usage notes
Plural QTLs or QTL. Most quantitative traits are influenced by many loci with small effects plus the environment. In tomato, cloning of the fruit-weight QTL fw2.2 in 2000 was an early success. Marker-assisted breeding uses QTL information to select plants and livestock.
Related abbreviations
More genetics abbreviations
- ncRNA – Non-coding RNA
- NGS – Next-generation sequencing
- NHEJ – Non-homologous end joining
- ORF – Open reading frame
- PAM – Protospacer adjacent motif
- PRS – Polygenic risk score
- RFLP – Restriction fragment length polymorphism
- RNA-seq – RNA sequencing
- RNAi – RNA interference
- scRNA-seq – Single-cell RNA sequencing
- sgRNA – Single guide RNA
- shRNA – Short hairpin RNA