GenoGeographer

GenoGeographer applies z-score-based genogeographic inference to assign genetic profiles to reference populations using ancestry-informative markers for improved ancestry prediction.

Key Features:

• Z-Score Based Analysis: Employs a z-score methodology that improves ancestry prediction accuracy compared to naïve methods based on maximal likelihood calculations.
• Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs): Leverages the Thermo Fisher Scientific Precision ID Ancestry Panel reported as containing 165 ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) and has been applied with 164 AIMs in analyses.
• Reference Population Data Sets: Calibrated using eight reference population datasets derived from 3603 AIM profiles, including six populations (Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, Middle East, Europe, South/Central Asia, East Asia) and two admixed populations (Somalia, Greenland).
• Performance in Ancestry Assignment: Achieved 83.6% concordant assignments to the expected reference population for profiles excluded from the initial datasets versus 78.1% by naïve maximal likelihood methods.
• Handling Ambiguity: Identifies ambiguous cases where individuals may belong to multiple populations, accounting for 8.2% of tested profiles.

Scientific Applications:

• Ancestry Determination: Enables precise assignment of individual genetic profiles to reference populations for ancestry inference.
• Population Genetics and Migration Studies: Supports analyses of genetic diversity and human migration patterns across defined populations and admixed groups.

Methodology:

Compares individual AIM profiles against established reference datasets using z-score-based analysis to differentiate closely related populations and characterize admixed ancestries.