Team:UQ-Australia/Safety

Safety Considerations

Researcher Safety
Issues were raised in risk assessments about the safety of using lab attenuated E. coli and P.syringae GMOs. Specific precuations were put in place to protect safety of experimenters:

- Personal protective equipment (gloves, shoes, goggles, labcoat) 

- Proper aseptic technique 

- Washing hands when moving in and out of the laboratory.

- Disposal of materials in appropriate waste containers.

Gel post-staining with Ethidium bromide had special precautions relating to its carcinogenic properties:

- Dedicated fume cupboard where Ethidium bromide is handled.

- Only nitrile gloves to be used when handling Ethidium bromide. 

- Stained gels to be double contained for transportation to the UV transilluminator.

Agarose gels:

- Care was taken when heating agarose solutions to dissolve agarose.

- Heat proof gloves to be worn during this procedure.

- Do not look into the flask directly after heating as steam may burn eyes or face.

Use of the UV transilluminator for in-gel extractions involved particular precautions:

- UV glasses to be worn when viewing the gels.

- One person in the room at the time when viewing gels.

Bunsen burners:

- Long hair tied back to prevent fire hazards.

- Well ventilated area 

- Always work in front of the bunsen burner.

All surfaces were sprayed down with ethanol before and after experimental work.

Public and Environmental Safety
No plans were made to release the organisms or DNA involved into the environment. Cleaning procedures were strictly enforced so that this did not occur. A specific issue involved with release of P. syringae is the grape industry. Currently, research is underway to knockout the ice nucleating gene of P. syringae as the organism may be detrimental to particular plants. Accidental release of a heat-resistant strain of this organism would not be ideal. At this point in time, P. syringae have not been used extensively by our lab in the production of registry parts (E. coli was used as a substitute).
Transportations of chemicals, DNA and organisms were always double-contained to prevent environmental contamination.
The Institutional Biosafety Committee in the Occupational Health and Safety Unit at UQ approves of the current lab practices used to protect the safety of laboratory members and to ensure that GMOS are not released into the environment. Further consideration needs to be given to the possible environmental consequences of releasing these organisms ie to soak up mercury or alleviate drought.

The parts we have submitted to the Registry this year do not raise any specific safety issues individually, since they are intended as parts of a whole system.