Re: [DIYbio] Cheap DNA source for PCR control

If you're working in an academic lab licensed for BSL2 work, it's not
really that dangerous provided you know what you are doing. BSL 2 means
"Hazardous to immunosuppressed or pregnant people, or harmful to
agriculturally/culturally important species other than humans",
generally. For example, S.aureus is BSL2 as it's a common cause of
lethal hospital infections, but it lives on everyone, every day. To an
uninjured, healthy person working in a properly equipped lab, it's not
a serious hazard.

Better yet though, S.epidermis is harmless, I'm pretty sure it's BSL1.
Although a close relative of S.aureus, it rarely causes infections and
it lives on human skin (hence the name).

Both species are common contaminants of agar plates, though because one
is potentially hazardous (even if not very), I suggest asking around
for a characterised strain in the university. I'd be surprised if
someone didn't have a lab strain of one or the other species in a
freezer somewhere.

On Mon, 24 Jun 2013 02:43:09 -0700 (PDT)
Mega <masterstorm123@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> a professor of mine told me he'd need Stapphyllococus Aureus and
> Streptococcus Epidermis DNA to make a PCR as a positive control...
>
> Buying from DSMZ would cost some 380€ for 5 ug, so he asked if I had
> an idea where to get it from cheaply. He would just need 100 ng or
> so, to be able to run a PCR...
>
>
> Obviously, I have no idea, it is biosafety level 2 and I'm not
> interested in working with potential pathogenic stuff...
> He often helped me so now I'd like to help him too...
>
>
> Does anyone have an idea where he could get it from?
>
> Best,
> Andreas
>
>

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