Let K be an algebraically closed field of null characteristic and p(z) a
Hilbert polynomial. We look for the minimal Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity
mp(z) of closed subschemes of projective spaces over K with Hilbert
polynomial p(z). Experimental evidences led us to consider the idea that
mp(z) could be achieved by schemes having a suitable minimal Hilbert
function. We give a constructive proof of this fact. Moreover, we are able to
compute the minimal Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity mp(z)ϱ of
schemes with Hilbert polynomial p(z) and given regularity ϱ of the
Hilbert function, and also the minimal Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity mu of
schemes with Hilbert function u. These results find applications in the study
of Hilbert schemes. They are obtained by means of minimal Hilbert functions and
of two new constructive methods which are based on the notion of
growth-height-lexicographic Borel set and called ideal graft and extended
lifting.Comment: 21 pages. Comments are welcome. More concise version with a slight
change in the title. A further revised version has been accepted for
publication in Experimental Mathematic