| Search type | Character | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peptide Searches | |||
| IFVLWMAGCYP TSHEDQNKR | Exact match | ELVIS | |
| J | Any hydrophobic residue (IFVLWMAGCY) | AAAAAAJJ | |
| O | Any hydrophilic residue (TSHEDQNKR) | GLFGO | |
| B | D or N | FLGB | |
| Z | E or Q | GLFZ | |
| X or . | Any amino acid | DXXXDN..R | |
| Nucleotide searches | |||
| ACTGU | Exact match | ACGGCGTA | |
| R | Any purine base (AG) | AATTTGGRGGR | |
| Y | Any pyrimidine base (CT) | CCCATAYYGGYY | |
| S | G or C | YGGTWCAMWTGTY | |
| W | A or T | ||
| M | A or C | ||
| K | G or T | ||
| V | A or C or G | CGG...WH.{3,5}HW...CCG | |
| H | A or C or T | ||
| D | A or G or T | ||
| B | C or G or T | ||
| N or X or . | Any base | ATGCNNNNNATCG | |
| All searchesa: | |||
| [ ] | A subset of elements | [WFY]XXXDN[RK][ST] | |
| [^ ] | An excluded subset of elements | NDBB...[VILM]Z[DE]...[^PG] | |
| ( ) | Specifies a sub-pattern | GG(DGXX){2,} | |
| {m,n} | {m} = exactly m times {m,} = at least m times {,m} = 0 to m times {m,n} = between m and n times | L{3,5}X{5}DGO | |
| < | Constrains pattern to N-terminus or 5' end | <MNY (pep) <ATGX{6,10}RTTRTT (nuc) | |
| > | Constrains pattern to C-terminus or 3' end | sjgo> (pep) yattrtga> (nuc) |