The Median Problem for Breakpoints in Comparative Genomics

During evolution, chromosomal rearrangements, such as reciprocal translocation, transposition and inversion, disrupt gene content and gene order on chromosomes. We discuss algorithmic and statistical approaches to the analysis of comparative genomic data. In a phylogenetic context, a combined approach is suggested, leading to the median problem for breakpoints. We solve this problem first for the case where all genomes have the same gene content, and then for the general case.