Parameterized algorithms for double hypergraph dualization with rank limitation and maximum minimal vertex cover

Motivated by the need for succinct representations of all “small” transversals (or hitting sets) of a hypergraph of fixed rank, we study the complexity of computing such a representation. Next, the existence of a minimal hitting set of at least a given size arises as a subproblem. We give one algorithm for hypergraphs of any fixed rank, and we largely improve an earlier algorithm (by H. Fernau, 2005) for the rank-2 case, i.e., for computing a minimal vertex cover of at least a given size in a graph. We were led to these questions by combinatorial aspects of the protein inference problem in shotgun proteomics.