Analysing the Kiore Sequence Data-A Glimpse at the Early History of Polynesian Migrations
by
Michael D Hendy
Massey University

The kiore (Rattus exulans) was used as a source of protein by Polynesian explorers on their voyagers, and probably deliberately introduced onto many Pacific Islands, including New Zealand and adjacent islands. Although these rats are now rare on the mainland of New Zealand, many remnant populations exist on off shore islands. An analysis of the maternally transmitted mitochondrial DNA of these rats has been undertaken by Dr E Matisoo-Smith and colleagues from the University of Auckland, with the aim of gaining further understanding of the history of Polynesian exploration and migration. This genetic data contains a large number of parallel mutations which make derivation of a reliable evolutionary tree difficult by standard methods.

We have used these data to test our development of an algorithm to build Buneman graphs, which we hope will become a useful tool for these types of data. These graphs give detailed pictorial representation of the relationship patterns in the data. From these graphs we can consider possible evolutionary trees, and make further observations about the population under study.

In this talk I propose to discuss the nature of this analysis, illustrated by examples from the kiore sequences. This will include the problem of sequence alignment and a look at several tree building programs. Then we will define the Buneman graph and introduce an algorithm for its construction.

Date received: June 5, 1998

Copyright © 1998 by the author(s). The author(s) of this document and the organizers of the conference have granted their consent to include this abstract in Atlas Conferences Inc. Document # cabd-30.