Table 6. Maximum distances under mutations.

Maximum distance for minimap2-like and Kraken-like minimizers compared to selected syncmers on random sequences of length 1 M and 100 M at identities of 95% and 90%. For k = 15, these are open syncmers with s = 9 and offset t = 4; for k = 31 they are open syncmers with s = 21, t = 5. Neither of these syncmer types has a window guarantee. In identical sequences, the minimizers have a window size of 10 (k = 15) and 16 (k = 31), but under mutation the maximum spacing is much greater, even at 95% identity. Syncmers often have lower maximum spacing under mutation despite the lack of a window guarantee.

k	L (M)	%Id	Max dist. minimizer	Max dist. syncmer
15	1	95	215	197
15	1	90	444	439
15	100	95	293	294
15	100	90	693	688
31	1	95	809	705
31	1	90	3,906	4,207
31	100	95	1,277	1,094
31	100	90	4,898	4,837