How should the header of a sequence listing ASCII text file be formatted?

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 header of a sequence listing ASCII text file must follow a specific format to comply with USPTO requirements. According to MPEP 2425, the header should include the following information:

“The first line of the ASCII text file must begin with SEQUENCE LISTING, followed by the sequence listing numeric identifier .”

The header should be structured as follows:

• Line 1: SEQUENCE LISTING
• Line 2: [Followed by the application number (if known) or title of the invention]
• Line 3: [Followed by the name of the SEQ ID NO file]
• Line 4: [Followed by the number of SEQ ID NOs]
• Line 5: [Followed by the date of creation of the sequence listing]
• Line 6: [Followed by the software used to create the sequence listing]

Each line should be properly formatted with the correct numeric identifier and corresponding information. This header provides essential metadata about the sequence listing and helps in its proper processing by the USPTO systems.