On the number of update digraphs and its relation with the feedback arc sets and tournaments

Abstract

An update digraph corresponds to a labeled digraph that indicates a relative order of its nodes introduced to define equivalence classes of deterministic update schedules yielding the same dynamical behavior of a Boolean network. In Aracena et al. [1], the authors exhibited relationships between update digraphs and the feedback arc sets of a given digraph G. In this paper, we delve into the study of these relations. Specifically, we show differences and similarities between both sets through increasing and decreasing monotony properties in terms of their structural characteristics. Besides, we prove that these sets are equivalent if and only if all the digraph circuits are cycles. On the other hand, we characterize the minimal feedback arc sets of a given digraph in terms of their associated update digraphs. In particular, for complete digraphs, this characterization shows a close relation with acyclic tournaments. For the latter, we show that the size of the associated equivalence classes is a power of two. Finally, we determine exactly the number of update digraphs associated to digraphs containing a tournament.