Colorings of unrooted tree-based networks and related graphs

TL;DR

This paper investigates the colorability of tree-based networks in phylogenetics, demonstrating that a broad class of these graphs are 3-colorable, thus connecting phylogenetic models with classical graph theory.

Contribution

It proves the 3-colorability of a general class of tree-based networks, addressing a recent open question and expanding understanding of their combinatorial properties.

Findings

Proves 3-colorability of certain tree-based networks

Links phylogenetic models with classical graph theory

Addresses an open question in the field

Abstract

In mathematical phylogenetics, evolutionary relationships are often represented by trees and networks. The latter are typically used whenever the relationships cannot be adequately described by a tree, which happens when so-called reticulate evolutionary events happen, such as horizontal gene transfer or hybridization. But as such events are known to be relatively rare for most species, evolution is sometimes thought of as a process that can be represented by a tree with some additional edges, i.e., with a network that is still ``somewhat treelike''. In this context, different versions of so-called tree-based networks have played a major role in recent phylogenetic literature. Yet, surprisingly little is known about their combinatorial and graph-theoretic properties. In our manuscript, we answer a recently published question concerning the colorability of a specific class of tree-based networks. In particular, we will investigate an even more general class of graphs and show their 3-colorability. This nicely links recent phylogenetic concepts with classical graph theory.