SAFE ORGANISMS

Species name (including strain)	Risk Group	Source	Human Risks	Aquisition	Use
E. coli (DH10B)	Group 1	http://tools.thermofisher.com/content/sfs /msds/2013/500015_MTR-NALT_EN.pdf 013/500015_MTR-NALT_EN.pdf	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	We acquired from Professor King Lau Chow's lab in HKUST	As a chassis for experiments and cloning
E. coli (TK2240)	Group 1	National Institute of Health	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	Laermann, V., Ćudić, E., Kipschull, K., Zimmann, P., & Altendorf, K. (2013). The sensor kinase KdpD of Escherichia coli senses external K+. Molecular microbiology, 88(6), 1194-	As a chassis for experiments with PkdpF and its mutant
E. coli (BL21 Rosetta)	Group 1	National Institute of Health	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	Acquired from Professor Minjie Zhang's lab in HKUST	For producing crude cell extract for TX-TL cell free system
E. coli (S17)	Group 1	U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	Acquired from Silberg Lab in Rice University	E. coli used to conjugate with soil bacteria
E. coli (XL-1 EC)	Group 1	U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	Acquired from Silberg Lab in Rice University	Standard strain used for cloning
E. coli (MG1655)	Group 1	U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	Acquired from Silberg Lab in Rice University	WT used to conjugate w/ MG1655
E. coli (NEB 10-beta DH10B derivative)	Group 1	U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	Acquired from Tabor Lab in Rice University	Standard strain used for cloning
E. coli (JW1212-1)	Group 1	U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines	Potentially harmful when inhaled or swallowed. Can cause eye and skin irritation in rare cases.	Acquired from Yale CGSC	As a chassis for experiments related to PdcuS
Azotobacter vinelandii (ATCC 12837)	Group 1	http://www.agrian. com/pdfs/HYTa_0-0-0.5_MSDS.pdf	May cause eye irritation; discomfort and temporary nausea if swallowed accidentally.	ATCC	conjugation of E. coli to soil bacteria
Rhizobium leguminosarum (ATCC 10004)	Group 1	http://xitebio.ca/pea-&-lentil-inoculant/ PeasRhizo-MSDS.pdf	No known health effects.	ATCC	conjugation of E. coli to soil bacteria

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SAFE PROJECT DESIGN

Biological safety is our priority, especially when our focus are related to the agricultural business. Our team does not want to release and genetically engineered organism into the field, nor to contaminate crop by directly applying the bacteria into the field.

Two Approaches Ensuring Biosafety

Keeping a biological sample quarantined is the key to maintaining biological safety. As a responsible iGEM team, we will not release any of our genetically modified organism outside the laboratory. In our design, we emphasize keeping the biosensors in the laboratory and bringing a soil sample to the laboratory, instead of putting the biosensors to the field for in situ detection of NPK levels.

Using a non-living biosensor is another approach that came to mind. This way, even if the sensor is accidentally released into the field, it will not be able to sustain nor to propagate itself. We opt to use a cell-free transcription-translation system (CF TX-TL) system as the chassis of the non-living biosensors.

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SAFETY TRAINING COURSES

This year's HKUST-Rice team members have received safety training over the summer. Topics that we have learned about in safety training are as follows:

For HKUST:
1. Biological Safety
2. Chemical Safety I/ Chemical Safety for Laboratory Users
3. Chemical Safety II/ Hazardous Waste Management

The link to the laboratory safety training requirements of our institution (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, HKUST) can be directed to: http://www.ab.ust.hk/hseo/training.htm

For Rice University:
1. General Laboratory Safety
2. Blood Safety and Blood Borne Pathogens

The link to the laboratory safety training requirements of our institution (Rice University) can be directed to: http://safety.rice.edu/Training/Safety_Training_Requirements/