Cargando…

Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern

Regulation of research on microbes that cause disease in humans has historically been focused on taxonomic lists of ‘bad bugs’. However, given our increased knowledge of these pathogens through inexpensive genome sequencing, 5 decades of research in microbial pathogenesis, and the burgeoning capacit...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Godbold, Gene D., Hewitt, F. Curtis, Kappell, Anthony D., Scholz, Matthew B., Agar, Stacy L., Treangen, Todd J., Ternus, Krista L., Sandbrink, Jonas B., Koblentz, Gregory D.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10167326/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37180048
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1124100
_version_ 1785038640185868288
author Godbold, Gene D.
Hewitt, F. Curtis
Kappell, Anthony D.
Scholz, Matthew B.
Agar, Stacy L.
Treangen, Todd J.
Ternus, Krista L.
Sandbrink, Jonas B.
Koblentz, Gregory D.
author_facet Godbold, Gene D.
Hewitt, F. Curtis
Kappell, Anthony D.
Scholz, Matthew B.
Agar, Stacy L.
Treangen, Todd J.
Ternus, Krista L.
Sandbrink, Jonas B.
Koblentz, Gregory D.
author_sort Godbold, Gene D.
collection PubMed
description Regulation of research on microbes that cause disease in humans has historically been focused on taxonomic lists of ‘bad bugs’. However, given our increased knowledge of these pathogens through inexpensive genome sequencing, 5 decades of research in microbial pathogenesis, and the burgeoning capacity of synthetic biologists, the limitations of this approach are apparent. With heightened scientific and public attention focused on biosafety and biosecurity, and an ongoing review by US authorities of dual-use research oversight, this article proposes the incorporation of sequences of concern (SoCs) into the biorisk management regime governing genetic engineering of pathogens. SoCs enable pathogenesis in all microbes infecting hosts that are ‘of concern’ to human civilization. Here we review the functions of SoCs (FunSoCs) and discuss how they might bring clarity to potentially problematic research outcomes involving infectious agents. We believe that annotation of SoCs with FunSoCs has the potential to improve the likelihood that dual use research of concern is recognized by both scientists and regulators before it occurs.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-10167326
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2023
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-101673262023-05-10 Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern Godbold, Gene D. Hewitt, F. Curtis Kappell, Anthony D. Scholz, Matthew B. Agar, Stacy L. Treangen, Todd J. Ternus, Krista L. Sandbrink, Jonas B. Koblentz, Gregory D. Front Bioeng Biotechnol Bioengineering and Biotechnology Regulation of research on microbes that cause disease in humans has historically been focused on taxonomic lists of ‘bad bugs’. However, given our increased knowledge of these pathogens through inexpensive genome sequencing, 5 decades of research in microbial pathogenesis, and the burgeoning capacity of synthetic biologists, the limitations of this approach are apparent. With heightened scientific and public attention focused on biosafety and biosecurity, and an ongoing review by US authorities of dual-use research oversight, this article proposes the incorporation of sequences of concern (SoCs) into the biorisk management regime governing genetic engineering of pathogens. SoCs enable pathogenesis in all microbes infecting hosts that are ‘of concern’ to human civilization. Here we review the functions of SoCs (FunSoCs) and discuss how they might bring clarity to potentially problematic research outcomes involving infectious agents. We believe that annotation of SoCs with FunSoCs has the potential to improve the likelihood that dual use research of concern is recognized by both scientists and regulators before it occurs. Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-04-25 /pmc/articles/PMC10167326/ /pubmed/37180048 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1124100 Text en Copyright © 2023 Godbold, Hewitt, Kappell, Scholz, Agar, Treangen, Ternus, Sandbrink and Koblentz. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Bioengineering and Biotechnology
Godbold, Gene D.
Hewitt, F. Curtis
Kappell, Anthony D.
Scholz, Matthew B.
Agar, Stacy L.
Treangen, Todd J.
Ternus, Krista L.
Sandbrink, Jonas B.
Koblentz, Gregory D.
Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern
title Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern
title_full Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern
title_fullStr Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern
title_full_unstemmed Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern
title_short Improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern
title_sort improved understanding of biorisk for research involving microbial modification using annotated sequences of concern
topic Bioengineering and Biotechnology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10167326/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37180048
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1124100
work_keys_str_mv AT godboldgened improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT hewittfcurtis improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT kappellanthonyd improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT scholzmatthewb improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT agarstacyl improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT treangentoddj improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT ternuskristal improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT sandbrinkjonasb improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern
AT koblentzgregoryd improvedunderstandingofbioriskforresearchinvolvingmicrobialmodificationusingannotatedsequencesofconcern