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Team:UCSF/Safety
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| - | '' | + | ''Many species of yeast and bacteria readily form biofilms as a means of survival. These biofilms are composed of cells that aggregate to each other or a surface. This year, the UCSF iGEM team has researched how to develop artificial biofilms via yeast cell surface display. We are synthetically engineering S. cerevisiae to form biofilm-like interactions that we can control by inducing display of adhesive proteins on the surface. The surface display system that we are using takes advantage of the natural yeast mating receptors, Aga1 and Aga2. We have chosen adhesive proteins from a variety of other organisms in order to create a range of interactions between the cells. The synthetic cell adhesion and interactions we are creating can serve as a model for biofilm formation and other types of cell-cell adhesion. '' |
| - | |[[Image:UCSF_team.png|right|frame| | + | |[[Image:UCSF_team.png|right|frame|UCSF iGEM 2011]] |
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Revision as of 22:20, 2 September 2011
| You can write a background of your team here. Give us a background of your team, the members, etc. Or tell us more about something of your choosing. |  |
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Many species of yeast and bacteria readily form biofilms as a means of survival. These biofilms are composed of cells that aggregate to each other or a surface. This year, the UCSF iGEM team has researched how to develop artificial biofilms via yeast cell surface display. We are synthetically engineering S. cerevisiae to form biofilm-like interactions that we can control by inducing display of adhesive proteins on the surface. The surface display system that we are using takes advantage of the natural yeast mating receptors, Aga1 and Aga2. We have chosen adhesive proteins from a variety of other organisms in order to create a range of interactions between the cells. The synthetic cell adhesion and interactions we are creating can serve as a model for biofilm formation and other types of cell-cell adhesion. |  UCSF iGEM 2011 |
| Team Example |
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Safety
1. Would the materials used in your project and/or your final product pose: a. Risks to the safety and health of team members or others in the lab?
No, the materials used in our project are not hazardous and do not pose as a safety or health threat toward any of our team members.
b. Risks to the safety and health of the general public if released by design or accident?
Our materials will not endanger the health or safety of the general public should it be released by design or accident.
c. Risks to environmental quality if released by design or accident? The materials in our project will pose no risk to environmental quality if released by design or accident.
Specifically, are any parts or devices in your project associated with (or known to cause): - pathogenicity, infectivity, or toxicity? - threats to environmental quality? - security concerns?
The strain of yeast used in our project is S. cerevisiae, also known as baker’s yeast. Our work with S. cerevisiae has been approved and follows the Biological Use Agreement (BUA). Several parts that we are using are associated with biofilm formation and subsequent pathogenicity in C. albicans, however the parts themselves do not cause infections or pathogenic activity.
2. If your response to any of the questions above is yes: a. Explain how you addressed these issues in project design and while conducting laboratory work. b. Describe and document safety, security, health and/or environmental issues as you submit your parts to the Registry.
We have consulted with a lab at UCSF that studies C. albicans biofilm formation and several papers have already been published where the proteins in our parts have been used to study biofilms in safe and non-pathogenic manner. Therefore, we are confident that there are no concerns
We have yet to submit any BioBrick parts. Our parts, however, regard cell to cell adhesion and are all categorized as BSL1, thus they raise no health, environmental, or safety concerns.
3. Under what biosafety provisions will / do you operate? a. Does your institution have its own biosafety rules and if so what are they? Provide a link to them online if possible.
The UCSF iGEM Team works under the Biological Use Agreement (BUA) approved by UCSF Health and Safety (EH&S). http://industry.ucsf.edu/ehs/8046-DSY/version/default/part/4/data/
b. Does your institution have an Institutional Biosafety Committee or equivalent group? If yes, have you discussed your project with them? Describe any concerns or changes that were made based on this review.
Yes, UCSF has a Biosafety Committee (http://or.ucsf.edu/ehs/7240-DSY/7422-DSY/8777), but it was not deemed necessary to meet with them regarding our project because all of our work falls under standard laboratory procedures that have prescribed regulations and safety protocols.
c. Did you receive any biosafety and/or lab training before beginning your project? If so, describe this training.
Every member of our team has received lab safety training from UCSF EH&S officer before beginning our project. We learned how to dress properly for performing lab work, how to dispose of hazardous materials, etc.
d. Does your country have national biosafety regulations or guidelines? If so, provide a link to them online if possible.
Yes, the United States has a manual with biosafety guidelines for biological laboratories: http://www.cdc.gov/biosafety/publications/bmbl5/index.htm
4. Do you have other ideas on how to deal with safety or security issues that could be useful for future iGEM competitions? How could parts, devices and systems be made even safer through biosafety engineering?
We recommend using a staining dye called SYBR Safe to stain their agarose gels for safer lab conditions. By using SYBR Safe instead of ethidium bromide, one can reduce his or her chance of interacting with a carcinogen and reduce the production of hazardous environmental waste.
