# ACGT Seminar

The Algebra, Combinatorics, Geometry, and Topology (ACGT) Seminar meets on Tuesdays at 12:45-2:00pm in Room 164 of the Adel Mathematics Building. If you are interested/willing to give a talk, please contact Dana C. Ernst or Michael Falk, ACGT Co-coordinators.

# Schedule Fall 2018

Note that talks are listed in reverse chronological order.

### Exploring signed permutations of maximal reversal length

Date: 9/4/18, 9/11/18

Speaker: Tanner Rosenberg (NAU)

Abstract: One can model a configuration of genes as a permutation of the numbers 1 through $n$, where each number can be right-side-up or upside-down. In this model, one type of mutation corresponds to performing a 180-degree reversal. The reversal distance between two configurations of genes is the minimum number of reversals needed to convert the permutation corresponding to one gene configuration to the other. Although there are other types of mutations, we focus on reversals since they are the most common mutation and reversal distance provides a good estimate for genetic distance. While the maximal reversal distance among all permutations of 1 through $n$ and the identity permutation is known, in this presentation we discuss our progress toward describing the structure of permutations that attain the maximal reversal distance.