Rare mutations do not explain 'missing heritability' in asthma

Rare genetic mutations have been thought to explain missing heritability, but it appears they are unlikely to play a major role. Analyzing the coding regions of genomes of more than 11,000 individuals, scientists identified mutations in just three genes that were associated with asthma risk. Each was associated with risk in specific ethnicities, suggesting gaps in the current understanding of asthma genetics.