Homology in coding and non-coding DNA sequences: a parsimony perspective

Abstract

Putative synapomorphy assessment (primary homology assessment) is distinct for DNA strings having a codon structure (hereafter, coding DNA) versus those lacking it (hereafter, non-coding DNA). The first requires the identification of a reading frame and of usually few in-frame insertions and deletions. In non-coding DNA, where length variation is much more common, putative synapomorphy assessment is considerably less straightforward and highly depends on the alignment method. Appreciating the existence of evolutionary constraints, alignments that consider patterns associated with specific putative evolutionary events are favored. Once the sequences have been aligned, the postulated putative evolutionary events need to be coded as an additional step. In order for the alignments and the alignment coding to be falsifiable, they should be carried out using justified and explicitly formulated criteria. Alternative coding methods for the most common patterns present in alignments of non-coding DNA are discussed here. Simpler putative synapomorphy assessment will not always correlate to more reliable phylogenetic information because simplicity does not necessarily correlate to the degree of homoplasy. The use of non-coding DNA can result in more laborious coding, but at the same time in more corroborated hypotheses, mirroring their accuracy for phylogenetic inference.