Beyond DNA sequencing, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute (JGI) now offers its User Community a variety of other resources, including DNA Synthesis. This talk will focus on two integral components of JGI’s DNA Synthesis Science Program, namely 1)biosecurity sequence screening and 2) broader aspects review. The JGI’s Black-List Sequence Screening (BLiSS) software tool implements the U.S. Health and Human Services’ guidance for providers of synthetic double-stranded DNA. Recently, the JGI has extended BLiSS beyond this “best-match” guidance to also screen against curated sequence databases (of, for example, viral sequences that may not be present on select agents or commerce control lists), and to counter-screen (to automate the identification of false positive hits) against sequences likely to be involved in basic cellular functions not related to pathogenicity. In addition to biosecurity sequence screening, following technical feasibility and scientific merit review, all JGI DNA Synthesis Science projects additionally undergo a broader aspects review process, in which three reviewers with complementary domain expertise (<i>e.g</i>., policy/governance, ethics, legal, biosecurity) evaluate each project for its broader aspects and implications. Both BLiSS and the broader aspects review process will<br/>be described, and their corresponding process metrics data presented.

DNA synthesis science at the DOE Joint Genome Institute: Biosecurity sequence screening and broader aspects review

256th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.