A MOSAIC of methods: Improving ortholog detection through integration of algorithmic diversity
M. Cyrus Maher, Ryan D. Hernandez
(Submitted on 9 Sep 2013)

Ortholog detection (OD) is a critical step for comparative genomic analysis of protein-coding sequences. There is a range of methods available for OD. However, relative performance varies by application, stymying attempts to identify a single best method. In this paper, we present a novel tool, MOSAIC, which is capable of integrating the entire swath of OD methods. We analyze the results of applying MOSAIC over four methodologically diverse OD methods. Relative to component and competing methods, we demonstrate large gains in the number of detected orthologs while simultaneously maintaining or improving functional-, phylogenetic-, and sequence identity-based measures of ortholog quality.