Team:Baskent Meds/Safety

Biosafety Part1

Risks to the safety and health of the members or other working in the lab?

Although we use Legionella pneumophila genes, we work on microorganisms with biosafety risk leve1. In addition our experiments are performed inside a laminar flow cabinet to reduce the risk. We are always wearing lab coats, gloves and googles while working in the lab.

Risks to the safety and health of the general public, if released by design or by accident?

E.coli (risk level 1) are already present in our environment and also they have low pathogenicity, so bacteriae we experiment on would not cause additional risk if such an event occurs.

Risks to environment, if released by design or by accident?

E.coli (risk level 1) is already present in our environment as explained above. Our modifications to E.coli cells do not increase pathogenicity of cells. Because we do not transfer any genes encoding virulence factors or any proteins associated to pathogenicity of E.coli

Risks to security though macilious misuse by individuals, groups or countries?

Such a situation would not increase the risk level of the strains used.

If your project moved from a small-scale lab study to become widely used as a commercial/industrial product, what new risks might arise?

The knowledge we generate, is not expected to be harmfull for the environment or human health. Our methods are to detect Legionella pneumophilla, so we think our method won’t cause a risk for humans. On the other hand, our product in a plasmid vector, that is always possible to use it for different aims.

Does your project include any design features to address safety risks?

We cloned L.pneumophila’s autoinducer gene to E.coli and producer L.pneumophila mimicking E.coli. so we aim to observe the response our processed QS wsith by using the transformed E.coli producing Legionella autoinducers instead of the actual L.pneumophila cells.

What safety have you received?

We received biosafety course during phase 1 of the Medical School. In addition, we also received biosafety training before the experiments. In this context we learned chemical and biological hazardous material and using these substances during experiments Unfortunately our institute does not have online biosafety guidelines. We use National Biosafety Guidelines.

Does your institution have an institutional Biosafety Committee, or an equivalent group?

We have our Başkent University Institutional Review Board and Ethics Committee evaluating the scientific and ethical legal and social issues of any project sumitted. This study was approved by this Committee(DA13/06)

Does your country have national biosafety regulations or guidelines?

http://www.tbbdm.gov.tr/en/Home.aspx

According to the WHO Biosafety Manual, what is the BioSafety Level rating of your lab?

Level2. Our laboratory’s BSL rating is above the risks caused by biomaterials we use. Also we run our experiments inside a laminar flow cabinet.

Biosafety Part2

Organism name and strain name or number

Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, strain Philadelphia

If you are using this organism as a chassis, write "chassis". If you are using a genetic part from the organism, give the name of the part and a brief description of what it does and why you are using it.

Lqs gene cluster: This genetic part is used for developing a sensory system which recognizes Legionella pneumophila existence. This part is a segment of Legionella genomic DNA.

How did you physically acquire the organism or part? 5.

Source plazmid (pNT-1) was donated by Prof. Dr. Hubert Hilbi.

What potential safety/health risks to team members, other people at your institution, or the general public could arise from your use of this organism/part?

We use E. coli as a chassis. E. coli (risk level 1) is already present in our environment and also they have low pathogenicity, and our modifications to E.coli cells do not increase pathogenicity of cells, since we do not transfer any genes encoding proteins associated to pathogenicity of E. coli.

What measures do you intend to take to ensure that your project is safe for team members, other people at your institution, and the general public?

Although we use Legionella pneumophila genes, we work on microorganisms with biosafety risk level 1. In addition, our experiments are performed inside a laminar flow cabinet to reduce the risk. We are always wearing lab coats, gloves and goggles while working in the lab.

If you are using only a part from the organism, and you believe the part by itself is not dangerous, explain why you believe it is not dangerous.

There are no shown data about the pathogenicity of protein products of lqs gene locus.

Why do you need to use this organism/part? Is there an organism/part from a less dangerous Risk Group that would accomplish the same purpose?

We aim to develop a system which is able to recognize Legionella existence at species level. In order to do that, we use quorum sensing mechanism, a communication system specific to species. We did not come across a less dangerous biological system which can recognize Legionella and react to it at species level.

Is the organism/part listed under the Australia Group guidelines, or otherwise restricted for transport? If so, how will your team ship this part to iGEM and the Jamborees?

Although Legionella pneumophila is in the warning list, it states that biological materials, which are contaminated with virulence factors or directly organism istself, should be checked. We did not come across any information about organism's genetic material. Part shipment is done by standard methods.

Please describe the BioSafety Level of the lab in which the team works, or description of safety features of lab (Refer to Basic Safety form, question 8. d.). If you are using organisms with a BSL level greater than you lab, please explain any additional safety precautions you are taking.

Our laboratory's BSL rating is above the risks caused by biomaterials we use. Also we run our experiments inside a laminar flow cabinet.

Safety forms were approved on October 2nd, 2013 by the iGEM Safety Committee.