Multiallelic restriction fragment polymorphisms in genetic counseling: population genetic considerations.

The use of selectively neutral, multiallelic molecular markers to trace the transmission of tightly linked genes is examined theoretically for all genetic counseling situations in which the diagnosis of deleterious progeny is desired. Formulae are computed in terms of the gametic frequency distribution in the population, for the expected fraction of matings (alpha i) which allow exact diagnosis on the basis of the marker alleles transmitted, assuming an arbitrary number (n) of alleles segregating at the marker locus and possibly nonrandom associations between the loci. In each case, it is shown that the diagnostic value of a multiallelic marker increases as n increases, with approximately 1-1/n matings informative, on average.