Yleaf: Software for Human Y-Chromosomal Haplogroup Inference from Next-Generation Sequencing Data

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Population Genetics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Next-generation sequencing (NGS) generates large-scale genomic data, impacting fields like anthropology and forensics.
• The human Y-chromosome is crucial for studying human evolution, ancestry, and forensic applications.
• Previous Y-chromosome phylogenetic trees were limited; NGS data has expanded them significantly, increasing complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address challenges in Y-chromosome haplogroup assignment arising from complex NGS data.
• To present Yleaf, a novel software tool for analyzing Y-chromosome genetic variations.
• To enable high-resolution Y-chromosome haplogroup inference using NGS data.

Main Methods:

• Development of Yleaf, a publicly available, automated software.
• Application of Yleaf for Y-chromosome haplogroup inference.
• Utilizing NGS data for phylogenetic analysis, independent of specific library or sequencing methods.

Main Results:

• Yleaf facilitates effective analysis and interpretation of Y-chromosome NGS data.
• The software provides high-resolution haplogroup inference capabilities.
• Automated processing enhances the usability of complex genomic datasets.

Conclusions:

• Yleaf is a user-friendly tool for accurate Y-chromosome haplogroup determination.
• The software supports diverse applications in evolutionary, anthropological, genealogical, and forensic genetics.
• Yleaf simplifies the interpretation of large-scale Y-chromosome sequencing data.