From Networks to Trees

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2012

Authors

Alves, M (Author) Other; Alves, J (Author) Other; Rui Camacho (Author) FEUP; Soares, P (Author) Other; Pereira L (Author) FMUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: 6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY & BIOINFORMATICS

Pages: 129-136

6th International Conference on Practical Applications of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (PACBB)

Salamanca, SPAIN, MAR 28-30, 2012

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-EVE

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-28839-5_15

Abstract (EN): Phylogenetic networks are a useful way of displaying relationships between nucleotide or protein sequences. They diverge from phylogenetic trees as networks present cycles, several possible evolutionary histories of the sequences analysed, while a tree presents a single evolutionary relationship. Networks are especially useful in studying markers with a high level of homoplasy (same mutation happening more than once during evolution) like the control region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), where the researcher does not need to compromise with a single explanation for the evolution suggested by the data. However in many instances, trees are required. One case where this happens is in the founder analysis methodology that aims at estimating migration times of human populations along history and prehistory. Currently, the founder analysis methodology implicates the creation of networks, from where a probable tree will be extracted by hand by the researcher, a time-consuming process, prone to errors and to the ambiguous decisions of the researcher. In order to automate the founder analysis methodology an algorithm that extracts a single probable tree from a network in a fast, systematic way is presented here.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8