A comprehensive analysis of copy number variations in the human genome

Segmental copy number variations (CNVs) in the human genome are associated with developmental disorders and susceptibility to human diseases. More importantly, these variations may represent a major genetic component of our phenotypic diversity. In this study, using a whole genome array CGH assay, we identified 3,654 autosomal segmental CNVs, of which 800 appeared at a frequency of at least 3%. 77% of these frequent CNVs are novel. In the 95 individuals analyzed, the most diverse genomes differed by at least 9 Mb in size or varied by at least 266 loci in content. Approximately 68% of the 800 polymorphic regions overlap with genes, reflecting human diversity in senses (smell, hearing, taste, and sight), Rhesus phenotype, metabolism, and disease susceptibility. Intriguingly, 14 polymorphic regions harbor 21 of the known human microRNAs, raising the possibility of microRNAs’ contribution to phenotypic diversity in humans. This in depth survey of CNVs across the human genome provides a valuable baseline for studies involving human genetics. Keywords: array CGH, segmental copy number variations (CNVs) Whole genome tiling path array CGH of 95 DNA samples against a single male reference genomic DNA; control hybridizations include repeat and dyeswap experiments