Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

6108

Date

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Computer Science

Committee Chair

Max H. Garzon

Committee Member

Vinhthuy Phan

Committee Member

Ramin Homayouni

Abstract

A new methodology is presented for molecular phylogenetic analysis addressing a fundamental problem in biology, name the reconstruction of the Tree of Life (TOL). Here, phylogenies are based on patterns of hybridization similarity in their DNA. Furthermore, phylogenies are based on a set of universal biomarkers (so-called nxh chips) chosen a priori, independently of the target group of organisms. Therefore, this methodology enables analyses of groups with biologically distant organisms, hence could be scaled to obtain a universal tree of life. Unlike conventional molecular methods, it produces a hypothesis in a single run, without optimizing across numerous hypotheses for consensus. Prototype hypotheses agree with the biological Ground Truth in over 70% of the relationships. Higher quality nxh chips are likely to produce better hypotheses, but more difficult to design.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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