What are the standard nucleotides not considered as “Modified Nucleotides” according to MPEP 2412.03(e)?

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.

MPEP 2412.03(e) provides a list of standard nucleotides that are not considered “Modified Nucleotides”. These are:

• deoxyadenosine 3′-monophosphate
• deoxyguanosine 3′-monophosphate
• deoxycytidine 3′-monophosphate
• deoxythymidine 3′-monophosphate
• adenosine 3′-monophosphate
• guanosine 3′-monophosphate
• cytidine 3′-monophosphate
• uridine 3′-monophosphate

These nucleotides represent the standard DNA (first four) and RNA (last four) building blocks. Any nucleotide that is not one of these standard nucleotides would be considered a “Modified Nucleotide” for the purposes of patent applications filed on or after July 1, 2022.