Bayesian Models for Phylogenetic trees

Abstract

Introduction: inferring genetic ancestry of different species is a current challenge in phylogenetics because of the immense raw biological data to be analyzed. computational techniques are necessary in order to parse and analyze all of such data in an efficient but accurate way, with many algorithms based on statistical principles designed to provide a best estimate of a phylogenetic topology. Methods: in this study, we analyzed a class of algorithms known as Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, which uses Bayesian statistics on a biological model, and simulates the most likely evolutionary history through continuous random sampling. we combined this method with a python-based implementation on both artificially generated and actual sets of genetic data from the UCSC genome browser. results and discussion: we observe that MCMC methods provide a strong alternative to the more computationally intense likelihood algorithms and statistically weaker parsimony algorithms. given enough time, the MCMC algorithms will generate a phylogenetic tree that eventually converges to the most probable configuration