How should ASCII plain text sequence listings be incorporated into patent applications?

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.

ASCII plain text sequence listings must be properly incorporated into patent applications according to specific USPTO guidelines. The MPEP 2422.03(a) states:

“The ASCII plain text file containing the ‘Sequence Listing’ (…) must be incorporated by reference into the application.“

To correctly incorporate the sequence listing:

• Include a statement in the application’s specification that references the ASCII text file.
• The statement should appear in a separate paragraph under the heading “Sequence Listing.”
• Provide the file name, creation date, and file size in bytes.

For example: “The ASCII text file of the Sequence Listing titled ‘sequencelisting.txt’ created on January 1, 2023, and having a size of 4,000 bytes, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.”