Serious errors plague DNA tool that's a workhorse of biology

Researchers have found that nearly half of the laboratory-made plasmids used in biology have design flaws, including errors in sequences crucial for expressing therapeutic genes. This discovery raises concerns about the reproducibility of experiments. Plasmids are essential tools in biology labs, allowing for the creation of designer plasmids containing genes of interest. The study highlights a lack of knowledge regarding proper quality control on plasmids in labs. Errors in plasmid design can lead to wasted time and resources, as seen in cases where experiments failed due to faulty plasmids. The most common errors found were related to key gene-therapy tools, potentially affecting the effectiveness of treatments. Experts suggest sequencing plasmids to identify errors and emphasize the importance of sharing plasmid sequences in open-access repositories to prevent issues. While some believe that errors are unlikely to cause problems in clinical settings due to stringent regulatory standards, the study underscores the need for researchers to pay closer attention to the quality of these fundamental lab tools.