What is the purpose of the <300> numeric identifier in a sequence listing?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

The numeric identifier in a sequence listing serves a specific purpose according to the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP). As stated in MPEP 2424.02:

“ is used for publication information”

This means that the identifier is used to provide information about any publications related to the sequence being listed. This could include details such as:

• Journal articles where the sequence was first published
• Patent documents that previously disclosed the sequence
• Database entries where the sequence is recorded

Including this information helps establish the prior art context for the sequence and can be important for determining novelty and non-obviousness in patent applications.