Name a biosafety level (BSL) consideration relevant to DNA technology experiments.

• A. Work with non-pathogenic organisms is typically BSL-1; higher-risk constructs or pathogens require BSL-2 or above with institutional approvals.
• B. BSL-1 is required for all experiments.
• C. BSL-3 is never required.
• D. BSL-4 is required for basic plasmid cloning.

Answer: (A)

Biosafety levels define the containment, practices, and approvals needed when working with organisms or engineered DNA in the lab. For everyday DNA technology using non-pathogenic organisms, such as common lab strains, the appropriate level is the lowest containment that provides safety—BSL-1. If you’re handling higher-risk constructs or actual pathogens, you move up to BSL-2 or higher and must obtain the necessary institutional approvals and oversight before starting.

This reflects real-world practice: non-pathogenic work commonly sits at BSL-1, while more dangerous or risky materials require more containment and formal approval processes. The other statements aren’t accurate: not all experiments require BSL-1, because some involve higher risk; BSL-3 can be required for certain agents or procedures; and BSL-4 is reserved for the most dangerous pathogens, not basic plasmid cloning.