What are the mandatory qualifiers for the “source” feature key in a Sequence Listing XML?
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 “source” feature key is mandatory for all nucleotide and amino acid sequences in a Sequence Listing XML, except for intentionally skipped sequences. According to MPEP 2413.01(g), there are two mandatory qualifiers for the “source” feature key:
- “organism”
- “mol_type”
The “organism” qualifier must disclose the source or origin of the sequence, while the “mol_type” qualifier must disclose the type of molecule represented in the sequence. These qualifiers provide essential information about the biological context of the sequence and are crucial for proper interpretation and examination of the patent application.