Biosafety

Question 1

What is biosafety

Answer 1

Measures to prevent exposure to (potentially) infectious agents

Question 2

What defines biosafety?

Answer 2

Containment conditions and operational procedures to reduce the potential exposure

Question 3

Which organisms do we have to look out for when considering biosafety?

Answer 3

Micro-organisms that can cause disease and their genetically modified variants

Question 4

How are micro-organisms classified?

Answer 4

• Pathogenicity (before/after genetic modification)
• Severity of disease
• Change of spreading into the environment
• Availability of profylaxe or treatment

Question 5

What are charcteristics of the different classes?

Answer 5

ZIE schema

Question 6

What are examples of micro-organisms in class I?

Answer 6

• Yeast
• E coli K12

Question 7

What are examples of micro-organisms in class II?

Answer 7

• HBV
• Measles
• Salmonella
• Legionella

Question 8

What are examples of micro-organisms in class III?

Answer 8

• Tuberculosis
• SARS-CoV-2
• Influenza
• HIV

Question 9

What are examples of micro-organisms in class IV?

Answer 9

• Lassa
• Ebola
• Marburg

Question 10

Characteristics of GMOs (2)

Answer 10

• Genetic composition has been changed artificially
• The ability to replicate or transfer their genomic material

Question 11

How do you investigate the function of a certain gene?

Answer 11

• Inactivation (KO)
• Overexpression
• Mutation
• Track, trace, measure a gene/protein

Question 12

Specific risks of GMOs (2)

Answer 12

• Disturbance of natural balance when introduced into the environment
• Transfer of genetically modified material to non-GMO’s

Question 13

Which viral experiments can you perform in BSL-1? Which adjustments need to be done?

Answer 13

• Cloning in plasmids
• Transformation in competent cells

Question 14

Which viral experiments can you perform in BSL-2? Which adjustments need to be done?

Answer 14

• Transfection of cells for the production of recombinant virus (reverse genetics) –> only ‘‘6 + 2 viruses
• Remove multi basis cleavage site

Question 15

Which viral experiments can you perform in BSL-3? Which adjustments need to be done?

Answer 15

• Transfection of cells for the production of recombinant virus “full 8 gene segments”
• With MBCS
• No 1918 Spanish Influenza

Question 16

How is a multi-basis cleavage site formed? What change does this lead to?

Answer 16

Insertions of nucleotides in HA gene –> virus becomes highly pathogenic

Question 17

How do the insertions of nucleotides lead to a highly pathogenic influenza virus?

Answer 17

Insertions are recognized by burin-like proteases –> sequence can be cleaved anywhere and replicates anywhere

Question 18

Why do you have to remove the multi-basis cleavage site to work in BSL-2 ?

Answer 18

Too pathogenic

Question 19

Dual Use Research of Concern