Efficient error correction algorithms for gene tree reconciliation based on duplication, duplication and loss, and deep coalescence

Gene tree - species tree reconciliation problems infer the patterns and processes of gene evolution within a species tree. Gene tree parsimony approaches seek the evolutionary scenario that implies the fewest gene duplications, duplications and losses, or deep coalescence (incomplete lineage sorting) events needed to reconcile a gene tree and a species tree. While a gene tree parsimony approach can be informative about genome evolution and phylogenetics, error in gene trees can profoundly bias the results.

We introduce efficient algorithms that rapidly search local Subtree Prune and Regraft (SPR) or Tree Bisection and Reconnection (TBR) neighborhoods of a given gene tree to identify a topology that implies the fewest duplications, duplication and losses, or deep coalescence events. These algorithms improve on the current solutions by a factor of n for searching SPR neighborhoods and n2 for searching TBR neighborhoods, where n is the number of taxa in the given gene tree. They provide a fast error correction protocol for ameliorating the effects of gene tree error by allowing small rearrangements in the topology to improve the reconciliation cost. We also demonstrate a simple protocol to use the gene rearrangement algorithm to improve gene tree parsimony phylogenetic analyses.

The new gene tree rearrangement algorithms provide a fast method to address gene tree error. They do not make assumptions about the underlying processes of genome evolution, and they are amenable to analyses of large-scale genomic data sets. These algorithms are also easily incorporated into gene tree parsimony phylogenetic analyses, potentially producing more credible estimates of reconciliation cost.