How should sequences be referenced in patent application drawings?

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.

When sequences are presented in drawings of a patent application, 37 CFR 1.831(c) provides specific guidelines:

“Where a sequence is presented in a drawing, reference must be made to the sequence by use of the sequence identifier (§ 1.832(a)), either in the drawing or in the Brief Description of the Drawings, where the correlation between multiple sequences in the drawing and their sequence identifiers (§ 1.832(a)) in the Brief Description is clear.”

This means that any sequence shown in a drawing must be referenced using its corresponding SEQ ID NO, either directly in the drawing or in the Brief Description of the Drawings section, ensuring clear identification of each sequence.