Evaluating Containment of Plasmids against Common Cell Culture Disposal Methods
Standard practices stipulated in guidelines for rDNA use include decontaminating biohazardous agents by chemical or thermal treatment, focusing mostly on killing the hosts, before disposal. With the advent of affordable DNA synthesis, the use of recombinant vectors has skyrocketed, raising questions about the biocontainment of these transferable genetic elements and the potential consequences of their environmental release. In this project, we explore whether the common laboratory decontamination methods such as bleaching and autoclaving are sufficient for disposal of cell cultures containing recombinant DNA.