MINUTES OF MEETING - March 6-7 
22 
like to use a plasmid isolated from Bacillus s tearothermoph il us or 
from other thermophilic Bacilli to transfer the cellulase gene from 
the thermophilic organism Sporocytophaga into a thermophilic Bacillus. 
Dr. Williams said Dr. Wilson seeks a reduction in containment level 
'from P3 to P2. 
Dr. Williams said Dr. Wilson advances two arguments in support of his 
request: 
(1) Both of the organisms are thermophilic. The optimum temperature 
for growth of thermophilic organisms is 65 degrees. 
(2) It appears the organisms have a symbiotic relationship. 
Dr. Williams said he found the proposal deficient. He said that 
additional information on the plasmid and the organisms to be employed 
was required. He moved denial of the request until such documenta- 
tion is provided. Dr. Young seconded the motion. 
Dr. Campbell said that the P3 level for experiments involving non- 
pathogenic prokaryotes (Section III-B-3 of the Guidelines) was set 
as an upper limit and not because such experiments were all judged 
to really require that containment. When data on individual cases 
indicates a lower containment is appropriate, the level should be 
lowered. 
Dr. Brill said that enzymes of thermophiles almost always function 
optimally at high temperatures and poorly at 37 degrees C. 
Dr. Goldstein asked if thermophilic enzymes have no activity at 
37 degrees C. Dr. Brill replied that he was not certain activity 
would be zero at 37 degrees C. Dr. Gottesman said that the extent 
of symbiosis is not clear; she said the Bacillus apparently grows 
without the Sporocytophaga in certain circumstances. 
Dr. Setlow called the question. Dr. Zaitlin left the room during the 
vote as Dr. Wilson is affiliated with Cornell University. The RAC 
denied the request to lower containment from P3 to P2 by a vote of 
twelve in favor, four opposed, and three abstentions. The RAC reques- 
ted that additional information be supplied by the investigator. 
E. Request to clone the ENA of Schistosoma mansoni 
Dr. Maas introduced a proposal (tab 853) from Dr. S. B. Henriques of 
Brazil to clone the DNA of Schistosoma mansoni . Dr. Maas said the 
use of recombinant technology to study this organism may result in 
the production of a vaccine against the parasite. He said Schistosoma 
mansoni is listed as a CDC Class 3 agent. Dr. Talbot pointed out that 
under the current Guidelines, a request to study a Class 3 agent must 
be published in the Federal Register as a proposed major action. 
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