MrBayes on a Graphics Processing Unit

Bayesian phylogenetic inference can be used to propose a 'tree of life' for a collection of species whose DNA sequences are known. While there are many packages available that implement Bayesian phylogenetic inference, such as the popular MrBayes, running these programs poses significant computational challenges. Parallelized versions of the Metropolis coupled Markov chain Monte Carlo (MC³) algorithm in MrBayes have been presented that can run on various platforms, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU). The GPU has been used as a cost-effective means for computational research in many fields. However, until now, some limitations have prevented the GPU from being used to run MrBayes MC³ effectively.