The maximum parsimony distance dMP(T1,T2) and the bounded-state maximum parsimony distance dMPt(T1,T2) measure the difference between two phylogenetic trees T1,T2 in terms of the maximum difference between their parsimony scores for any character (with t a bound on the number of states in the character, in the case of dMPt(T1,T2)). While computing dMP(T1,T2) was previously shown to be fixed-parameter tractable with a linear kernel, no such result was known for dMPt(T1,T2). In this paper, we prove that computing dMPt(T1,T2) is fixed-parameter tractable for all t. Specifically, we prove that this problem has a kernel of size O(klg⁡k), where k=dMPt(T1,T2). As the primary analysis tool, we introduce the concept of leg-disjoint incompatible quartets, which may be of independent interest.

This paper studies the relationship between undirected (unrooted) and directed (rooted) phylogenetic networks. We describe a polynomial-time algorithm for deciding whether an undirected nonbinary phylogenetic network, given the locations of the root and reticulation vertices, can be oriented as a directed nonbinary phylogenetic network. Moreover, we characterize when this is possible and show that, in such instances, the resulting directed nonbinary phylogenetic network is unique. In addition, without being given the location of the root and the reticulation vertices, we describe an algorithm for deciding whether an undirected binary phylogenetic network N can be oriented as a directed binary phylogenetic network of a certain class. The algorithm is fixed-parameter tractable (FPT) when the parameter is the level of N and is applicable to classes of directed phylogenetic networks that satisfy certain conditions. As an example, we show that the well-studied class of binary tree-child networks satisfies these conditions.

Recently it was shown that a certain class of phylogenetic networks, called level-2 networks, cannot be reconstructed from their associated distance matrices. In this paper, we show that they can be reconstructed from their induced shortest and longest distance matrices. That is, if two level-2 networks induce the same shortest and longest distance matrices, then they must be isomorphic. We further show that level-2 networks are reconstructible from their shortest distance matrices if and only if they do not contain a subgraph from a family of graphs. A generator of a network is the graph obtained by deleting all pendant subtrees and suppressing degree-2 vertices. We also show that networks with a leaf on every generator side are reconstructible from their induced shortest distance matrix.

Phylogenetic networks are used to represent evolutionary scenarios in biology and linguistics. To find the most probable scenario, it may be necessary to compare candidate networks. In particular, one needs to distinguish different networks and determine whether one network is contained in another. In this paper, we introduce cherry-picking networks, a class of networks that can be reduced by a so-called cherry-picking sequence. We then show how to compare such networks using their sequences. We characterize reconstructible cherry-picking networks, which are the networks that are uniquely determined by the sequences that reduce them, making them distinguishable. Furthermore, we show that a cherry-picking network is contained in another cherry picking network if a sequence for the latter network reduces the former network, provided both networks can be reconstructed from their sequences in a similar way (i.e., they are in the same reconstructible class). Lastly, we show that the converse of the above statement holds for tree-child networks, thereby showing that Network Containment, the problem of checking whether a network is contained in another, can be solved by computing cherry picking sequences in linear time for tree-child networks.

A common problem in phylogenetics is to try to infer a species phylogeny from gene trees. We consider different variants of this problem. The first variant, called Unrestricted Minimal Episodes Inference, aims at inferring a species tree based on a model with speciation and duplication where duplications are clustered in duplication episodes. The goal is to minimize the number of such episodes. The second variant, Parental Hybridization, aims at inferring a species network based on a model with speciation and reticulation. The goal is to minimize the number of reticulation events. It is a variant of the well-studied Hybridization Number problem with a more generous view on which gene trees are consistent with a given species network. We show that these seemingly different problems are in fact closely related and can, surprisingly, both be solved in polynomial time, using a structure we call "beaded trees". However, we also show that methods based on these problems have to be used with care because the optimal species phylogenies always have a restricted form. To mitigate this problem, we introduce a new variant of Unrestricted Minimal Episodes Inference that minimizes the duplication episode depth. We prove that this new variant of the problem can also be solved in polynomial time.