"
Team:Paris Bettencourt/Human Practice/Safety
From 2013.igem.org
Zmarinkovic (Talk | contribs) |
Zmarinkovic (Talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
<p><b>Eliminating Mycobacteria:</b> | <p><b>Eliminating Mycobacteria:</b> | ||
| - | This project employs the | + | This project employs the Listeriolysin gene LLO derived from <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>. This gene |
contributes the virulence of this pathogen. Although this gene is widely used in Biosafety Level 1 | contributes the virulence of this pathogen. Although this gene is widely used in Biosafety Level 1 | ||
facilities, the precautionary principle applies. We will assume that this gene could enhance the | facilities, the precautionary principle applies. We will assume that this gene could enhance the | ||
| Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
| - | <h2> | + | <h2> Risks to the safety and health of the general public, if released by design or by accident </h2> |
| - | <p> | + | <p><b>Silencing antibiotic resistance:</b> |
| + | The M13 bacteriophage that we use in this project may be capable of spreading in | ||
| + | human gut flora. We do not believe that the risks exceed that of standard coliphage | ||
| + | research.</p> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <p><b>Detecting antibiotic resistance:</b> | ||
| + | As above, this project carries the risks inherrent to basic M13 phage work.</p> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <p><b>Eliminating Mycobacteria:</b> | ||
| + | <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a human pathogen, and the LLO gene that we employ | ||
| + | contributes to that pathogenicity. Although the LLO gene is only one of many genes required for | ||
| + | Listeria pathogenicity, we must assume there is some chance it could enhance the pathogenicity of | ||
| + | other strains. Release of this strain could, in principle, enhance the pathogenicity of natural | ||
| + | human pathogens, particularly that of <i>E. coli</i> and it's relatives. | ||
| + | </p> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <p><b>Screening for sulfur metabolism inhibitors:</b> | ||
| + | We intend to replate WT <i>E. coli</i> sulfur metabolism, e.g. CysI, with alternative genes | ||
| + | from <i>M. smegmatis</i> such as SirA. The SirA gene is well characterized and unlikely to relate to | ||
| + | pathogenicity. Because both these organisms belong to Risk Group 1, we | ||
| + | believe there is little risk to the public. | ||
| + | </p> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
Revision as of 21:07, 3 October 2013
<body>
Risks to the safety and health of team members or others working in the lab
Silencing antibiotic resistance: This system includes a phage designed to spread in an E. coli population. If it was ingested by someone the phage could spread into the population of E. coli located in the gut. The modifications to our phage, for example GFP expression, are likely to reduce fitness and would facilitate diagnosis. We believe this risk to be comparable to that of other research on commonly used coliphage.
Detecting antibiotic resistance: As above, this system uses a coliphage that could in principle spread in human gut fauna. This system also uses CRISPR elements, which are relatively new to science and may present unknown risks. We do not believe that our modifications will increase the risks above that of other research on commonly used coliphage.
Eliminating Mycobacteria: This project employs the Listeriolysin gene LLO derived from Listeria monocytogenes. This gene contributes the virulence of this pathogen. Although this gene is widely used in Biosafety Level 1 facilities, the precautionary principle applies. We will assume that this gene could enhance the pathogenicity of E. coli or other bacteria, for example by allowing them to evade phagocytosis in the human immune system.
Screening for sulfur metabolism inhibitors: For this project we will express in E. coli three genes from the sulfur assimilation pathway of Mycobacterium smegmatis. We selected genes from this organism because it is a non-pathogenic model for M. tuberculosis. To our knowledge, sulfur metabolism does not enhance the pathogenicity of any known bacterial species. Therefore we believe this project to carry risks not exceeding those of standard lab work with E. coli.
Risks to the safety and health of the general public, if released by design or by accident
Silencing antibiotic resistance: The M13 bacteriophage that we use in this project may be capable of spreading in human gut flora. We do not believe that the risks exceed that of standard coliphage research.
Detecting antibiotic resistance: As above, this project carries the risks inherrent to basic M13 phage work.
Eliminating Mycobacteria: Listeria monocytogenes is a human pathogen, and the LLO gene that we employ contributes to that pathogenicity. Although the LLO gene is only one of many genes required for Listeria pathogenicity, we must assume there is some chance it could enhance the pathogenicity of other strains. Release of this strain could, in principle, enhance the pathogenicity of natural human pathogens, particularly that of E. coli and it's relatives.
Screening for sulfur metabolism inhibitors: We intend to replate WT E. coli sulfur metabolism, e.g. CysI, with alternative genes from M. smegmatis such as SirA. The SirA gene is well characterized and unlikely to relate to pathogenicity. Because both these organisms belong to Risk Group 1, we believe there is little risk to the public.
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
fqa
foo
+33 1 44 41 25 22/25
team2013@igem-paris.org 
