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“Sequence-Based Classification of Select Agents: A Brighter Line”

5th August 2010

This latest publication from the US National Academies of Science suggests that “replacing the current list of Select Agents with a system that could predict if fragments of DNA sequences could be used to produce novel pathogens with Select Agent characteristics is not feasible”. However, the report goes on to suggest that future threats posed by synthetic biology are more likely to come from “assembling known Select Agents, or modifications of them, rather than construction of previously unknown agents”.

For more details of this publication see the National Academies Press page which provides details of this publication

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