iGEM places great emphasis on biosafety, ensuring that all projects adhere to strict safety standards. One of these measures is the iGEM White List, which includes organisms and parts that are pre-approved for use based on their safety profile. Any components or organisms not covered by this White List must be submitted as 'Check-ins' to the iGEM Safety Committee for approval. Check-ins are formal safety evaluations that allow the committee to assess the potential risks and ensure proper containment and handling procedures are in place. Although we used some parts and organisms that were not included on the White List, these were assessed as critical for our project and submitted as Check-ins to the iGEM Safety Committee. Furthermore, we were in active exchange with the committee throughout the process. The Check-ins provide a clear picture of the biosafety aspects of our project, reflecting our commitment to safety and compliance with iGEM standards.
iGEM places great emphasis on biosafety, ensuring that all projects adhere to strict safety standards. One of these measures is the iGEM White List, which includes organisms and parts that are pre-approved for use based on their safety profile. Any components or organisms not covered by this White List must be submitted as 'Check-Ins' to the iGEM Safety Committee for approval. Check-Ins are formal safety evaluations that allow the committee to assess the potential risks and ensure proper containment and handling procedures are in place. Although we used some parts and organisms that were not included on the White List, these were assessed as critical for our project and submitted as Check-Ins to the iGEM Safety Committee. Furthermore, we were in active exchange with the committee throughout the process. The Check-Ins provide a clear picture of the biosafety aspects of our project, reflecting our commitment to safety and compliance with iGEM standards.
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We adhere to good laboratory practices by ensuring proper handling of materials, effective emergency procedures, and correct waste disposal methods. This commitment guarantees a safe and compliant research environment. Our project, which involved a wide range of techniques was conducted in strict compliance with safety regulations. All experiments were carried out in Prof. Dr. Kristian Müller’s laboratory at Bielefeld University, following BSL-1 standard operating procedures. Properly equipped facilities are crucial to prevent contamination, exposure, or accidental release of modified organisms, ensuring the highest level of safety in our laboratories.
Regulations on genetic engineering. In addition to the general safety briefing, specific instructions for the safe operation of each device were provided. The Safety and Security Officer within the laboratory highlighted the potential hazards and necessary precautionary measures. We have focused on planning our laboratory activities to minimize risk for safer practices. This ensures not only the safe and proper use of equipment but also the generation of reliable data. To meet all safety requirements, additional safety protocols have been put in place for all targeted areas of the laboratory equipment.
Regulations on genetic engineering.
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In addition to the general safety briefing, specific instructions for the safe operation of each device were provided. The Safety and Security Officer within the laboratory highlighted the potential hazards and necessary precautionary measures. We have focused on planning our laboratory activities to minimize risk for safer practices. This ensures not only the safe and proper use of equipment but also the generation of reliable data. To meet all safety requirements, additional safety protocols have been put in place for all targeted areas of the laboratory equipment.
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<Sectiontitle="Check-Ins"id="Check-Ins">
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As part of our project to develop a prime-editing complex to correct the F508del mutation in cystic fibrosis, we place great emphasis on safety at all stages of research. Our final construct will be tested in primary cultures of epithelial cells obtained from nasal swabs, isolated from both patients and healthy individuals. from nasal swabs [link primär Kulturen]. To guarantee safety and ensure the highest level of precision and reliability of our results, we have introduced a series of carefully planned checkpoints during the experiments. These milestones allow for continuous monitoring, timely adjustments and validation at each critical stage. This ensures that potential issues are identified and addressed immediately, minimizing risk and improving the overall quality of the experimental results. [link zu den Experimenten] . iGEM places great emphasis on biosafety, ensuring that all projects adhere to strict safety standards. One of these measures is the iGEM White List, which includes organisms and parts that are pre-approved for use based on their safety profile. Any components or organisms not covered by this White List must be submitted as 'Check-ins' to the iGEM Safety Committee for approval. Check-ins are formal safety evaluations that allow the committee to assess the potential risks and ensure proper containment and handling procedures are in place. Although we used some parts and organisms that were not included on the White List, these were assessed as critical for our project and submitted as Check-ins to the iGEM Safety Committee. Furthermore, we were in active exchange with the committee throughout the process. The Check-ins provide a clear picture of the biosafety aspects of our project, reflecting our commitment to safety and compliance with iGEM standards.
As part of our project to develop a prime-editing complex to correct the F508del mutation in cystic fibrosis, we place great emphasis on safety at all stages of research. Our final construct will be tested in primary cultures of epithelial cells obtained from nasal swabs, isolated from both patients and healthy individuals. [link primär Kulturen]. To guarantee safety and ensure the highest level of precision and reliability of our results, we have introduced a series of carefully planned checkpoints during the experiments. These milestones allow for continuous monitoring, timely adjustments and validation at each critical stage. This ensures that potential issues are identified and addressed immediately, minimizing risk and improving the overall quality of the experimental results. [link zu den Experimenten] . iGEM places great emphasis on biosafety, ensuring that all projects adhere to strict safety standards. One of these measures is the iGEM White List, which includes organisms and parts that are pre-approved for use based on their safety profile. Any components or organisms not covered by this White List must be submitted as 'Check-Ins' to the iGEM Safety Committee for approval. Check-Ins are formal safety evaluations that allow the committee to assess the potential risks and ensure proper containment and handling procedures are in place. Although we used some parts and organisms that were not included on the White List, these were assessed as critical for our project and submitted as Check-Ins to the iGEM Safety Committee. Furthermore, we were in active exchange with the committee throughout the process. The Check-ins provide a clear picture of the biosafety aspects of our project, reflecting our commitment to safety and compliance with iGEM standards.
The main safety measures we have implemented include:
<strong>pegRNA (Prime Editing Guide RNA):</strong> The pegRNA is a multifunctional RNA molecule that fulfils two essential tasks. Firstly, it serves as a standard guide RNA (gRNA) that binds specifically to the target DNA and thus marks the site of editing. Secondly, it contains an RNA template that encodes the desired DNA modification. This enables the precise integration of the genetic modifications at the target site. We evaluated pegRNA for its ability to specifically target and modified the intended DNA sequence. Ensuring its specificity was crucial to avoid the potential disruption of other genes.
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<strong>Nickase Cas9, CasX, Fanzor (SpuFz1):</strong> These modified nucleases are designed to cut only one strand of DNA. This leads to controlled and precise editing of the genome, as cutting only one strand minimizes the risk of unwanted double-strand breaks. CasX and Fanzor offer smaller alternatives to Cas9, which is particularly advantageous for use in cells or organisms where space and efficiency requirements in terms of the transport system are an issue. Fanzor, being a newly introduced endonuclease, was particularly scrutinized in our project to ensure its safety and effectiveness in different cellular contexts.
<strong>Nickase nCas9, CasX, Fanzor (SpuFz1):</strong> These modified nucleases are designed to cut only one strand of DNA. This leads to controlled and precise editing of the genome, as cutting only one strand minimizes the risk of unwanted double-strand breaks. CasX and Fanzor offer smaller alternatives to Cas9, which is particularly advantageous for use in cells or organisms where space and efficiency requirements in terms of the transport system are an issue. Fanzor, being a newly introduced endonuclease, was particularly scrutinized in our project to ensure its safety and effectiveness in different cellular contexts.
This prime-editing complex thus represents a precise and efficient method for gene editing. By combining these components, genetic modifications can be performed with minimal side effects
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<H4text="Check-in for Cloning"></H4>
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For our cloning experiments and the development of our prime editing complexes, we have amplified various plasmids in <i>E. coli</i> K-12 strains (DH5α,10-Beta) When working with microbial strains such as <i>E. coli</i> K-12 strains, a it's important to consider potential risks associated with their use, even though they are generally regarded as safe in laboratory settings. All experiments were performed under strict S1 conditions, following all relevant safety protocols. Below you will find an overview of the <i>E. coli</i> K-12 strains for our cloning experiments, submitted by us as a checkin and the specific safety measures:
For our cloning experiments and the development of our prime editing complexes, we have amplified various plasmids in <i>E. coli</i> K-12 strains (DH5α,10-Beta). When working with microbial strains such as <i>E. coli</i> K-12 strains,it's important to consider potential risks associated with their use, even though they are generally regarded as safe in laboratory settings. All experiments were performed under strict S1 conditions, following all relevant safety protocols. Below you will find an overview of the <i>E. coli</i> K-12 strains for our cloning experiments, submitted by us as a check-In and the specific safety measures:
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<strong><i>E. coli K-12</i> strains (DH5α, 10-Beta):</strong> Although these strains are non-pathogenic and have been modified to minimize the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance, there remains a low risk of horizontal gene transfer, where genetic material could be transferred to other microorganisms, potentially leading to the spread of resistance genes or other traits. If accidentally released into the environment, <i>E. coli</i> K-12 strains could potentially interact with native microbial communities. While they are typically outcompeted in natural environments, there's a remote possibility of ecological disruption, particularly in microenvironments where they could find a niche.While these strains are non-virulent, they still pose a minimal risk to humans, particularly immunocompromised individuals, through accidental ingestion or inhalation in a laboratory setting.
