What symbols should be used to represent nucleotide sequences?

According to WIPO Standard ST.26, paragraph 13, all nucleotides in a sequence must be represented using the symbols in Table 1: List of Nucleotides Symbols. Only lowercase letters must be used. The most important symbols are:

  • a – for adenine
  • c – for cytosine
  • g – for guanine
  • t – for thymine in DNA or uracil in RNA
  • n – for any nucleotide (“a”, “c”, “g”, “t/u”)

The MPEP states: “Any symbol used to represent a nucleotide is the equivalent of only one residue.

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Topics: MPEP 2400 - Biotechnology, MPEP 2412.05 - Representation And Symbols For Nucleotide And/Or Amino Acid Sequences, Patent Law, Patent Procedure
Tags: Dna, nucleotide sequences, Sequence Symbols, wipo standard st.26