Shapes of RNA pseudoknot structures

In this paper we study abstract shapes of $k$-noncrossing, $\sigma$-canonical RNA pseudoknot structures. We consider ${\mathsf{l}\mathsf{v}}_k^{\mathsf{1}}$- and ${\sf lv}_k^{\sf 5}$-shapes,whichrepresentageneralizationoftheabstract$\pi’$- and $\pi$-shapes of RNA secondary structures introduced by \citet{Giegerich:04ashape}. Using a novel approach we compute the generating functions of ${\mathsf{l}\mathsf{v}}_k^{\mathsf{1}}$- and ${\mathsf{l}\mathsf{v}}_k^{\mathsf{5}}$-shapes as well as the generating functions of all ${\mathsf{l}\mathsf{v}}_k^{\mathsf{1}}$- and ${\sf lv}_k^{\sf 5}$-shapesinducedbyall$k$-noncrossing,$\sigma$-canonical RNA structures for fixed $n$. By means of singularity analysis of the generating functions, we derive explicit asymptotic expressions.