Cohen-Macaulay bipartite graphs (Q1359083)

Let \(G\) be a graph on the vertex set \(V=\{x_1, \dots, x_n\}\). Let \(k\) be a field and let \(R\) be the polynomial ring \(k[x_1, \dots, x_n]\). The graph ideal \(I(G)\), associated to \(G\), is the ideal of \(R\) generated by the set of square-free monomials \(x_ix_j\) so that \(x_i\) is adjacent to \(x_j\). The graph \(G\) is Cohen-Macaulay over \(k\) if \(R/I(G)\) is a Cohen-Macaulay ring. Let \(G\) be a Cohen-Macaulay bipartite graph. The main result of this paper shows that \(G \backslash \{v\}\) is Cohen-Macaulay for some vertex \(v\) in \(G\). Then as a consequence it is shown that the Stanley-Reisner simplicial complex of \(I(G)\) is shellable. An example of \textit{N. Terai} is presented showing these results fail for Cohen-Macaulay non-bipartite graphs.