MPEP § 608.05(c) — Submissions of Biological Sequence Listings (Annotated Rules)

§608.05(c) Submissions of Biological Sequence Listings

USPTO MPEP version: BlueIron's Update: 2025-12-31

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 608.05(c), including statutory authority, regulatory rules, examiner guidance, and practice notes. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.

Submissions of Biological Sequence Listings

This section addresses Submissions of Biological Sequence Listings. Primary authority: 37 CFR 1.821(a), 37 CFR 1.831(b), and 37 CFR 1.821. Contains: 3 requirements.

Key Rules

Topic

Sequence Listing Format

2 rules
StatutoryRequiredAlways
[mpep-608-05-c-a516c43e5fbfa86138422e6d]
Sequence Listing Must Be Submitted Via USPTO System Or Optical Disc For Pre-July 1, 2022 Filings
Note:
For applications filed before July 1, 2022, a sequence listing must be submitted as an ASCII plain text file via the USPTO patent electronic filing system or on a read-only optical disc.

For applications filed before July 1, 2022, the sequence listing can be a “Sequence Listing” (as an ACSII plain text file in compliance with 37 CFR 1.821 – 1.824) submission must be submitted via the USPTO patent electronic filing system or on read-only optical disc. See MPEP §§ 2420 et seq. for detailed information.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.821Sequence Listing FormatSequence Listing Requirements
StatutoryRequiredAlways
[mpep-608-05-c-74bfc036108c6f2b0c13080a]
Sequence Listing Must Be XML
Note:
For applications filed on or after July 1, 2022, the sequence listing must be submitted as an XML file compliant with specific regulations.

For applications filed on or after July 1, 2022, the sequence listing must be a “Sequence Listing XML” (as an XML file in compliance with 37 CFR 1.831 – 1.834) submission can be submitted via the USPTO patent electronic filing system or on read-only optical disc. See MPEP §§ 2412 – 2419 for detailed information.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.831Sequence Listing FormatSequence Listing Requirements
Topic

Sequence Listing Content

1 rules
StatutoryRequiredAlways
[mpep-608-05-c-fb5dd35c6bf00a0b37b88c7d]
Biological Sequence Information Must Be Provided in a Sequence Listing
Note:
Applications disclosing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences must include the biological sequence information in a sequence listing, with different definitions applying to filings before and after July 1, 2022.

Applications disclosing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, as defined in 37 CFR 1.821(a) for applications filed before July 1, 2022 or as defined in 37 CFR 1.831(b) for applications filed on or after July 1, 2022, are required to provide the biological sequence information in a sequence listing.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.821(a)Sequence Listing ContentSequence Listing FormatSequence Listing Requirements

Citations

Primary topicCitation
Sequence Listing Format37 CFR § 1.821
Sequence Listing Content37 CFR § 1.821(a)
Sequence Listing Format37 CFR § 1.831
Sequence Listing Content37 CFR § 1.831(b)
Sequence Listing FormatMPEP § 2412
Sequence Listing FormatMPEP § 2420

Source Text from USPTO’s MPEP

This is an exact copy of the MPEP from the USPTO. It is here for your reference to see the section in context.

BlueIron Last Updated: 2025-12-31