Probabilistic models of genome shuffling

The comparison of entire genomes in evolutionary studies gives rise to alignments characterized by many intersections, or inversions in the order of two fragments in different genomes. To model this, we suggest a random migration process for fragments, and discuss its equilibrium distribution in the case of linear and circular genomes. Simulations are carried out to explore “cut-off” behavior as the process approaches equilibrium. We define a new process to take into account the indistinguishability of two fragments which are adjacent in both genomes being compared. Questions of applicability of these models are discussed.