a Genetics Department, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
b Centre de recherches mathématiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3C 3J7.
Abstract:
Comparative maps record the history of chromosome rearrangements that have occurred during the evolution of plants and animals. Effective use of these maps in genetic and evolutionary studies relies on quantitative analyses of the patterns of segment conservation. We review the analytical methods that have been developed for characterizing these maps and evaluate their application to existing comparative maps mainly for plants and animals.