15 
i 
i 
i 
Dr. Campbell said he accepted R-f actor exchange as evidence that chromo- 
somal exchange is occur ing and moved approval of Cfc: . Mekalanos' request. 
He said that the toxin question is covered by prohibition I-D-2. 
Dr. Mason questioned whether the RAC could vote on this issue in the 
absence of a definition of a "potent" toxin. Dr. Novick moved that 
Vibrio cholerae be added to Sublist A, Appendix A, but that deliberate 
cloning of toxin genes be excluded. E*r. Campbell accepted the amendment. 
The vote was five in favor, four opposed, and five abstentions. 
Mr. Thornton suggested that the issue be reconsidered as the sentiment 
of the committee was clearly divided. By a vote of eleven in favor, one 
opposed, the RAC agreed to reconsider the previous vote. Dr. Mason then 
moved to defer action on the proposal until additional information is 
available on the experiments being proposed. By a vote of thirteen in 
favor, one opposed, the RAC deferred action on Dr. Mekalanos' proposal. 
I 
XIV. PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF APPENDIX E OF THE GUIDELINES 
Dr. Campbell said that Dr. Fritz Reusser, The Upjohn Company, requested 
(tabs 916, 931/9) that two entries under Appendix E be amended to permit 
specified experiments be performed with additional Streptomyces species. 
Dr. Campbell suggested that each of the proposals be considered separately. 
The first proposal is as follows: 
" Bacillus subtilis strains that do not carry an asporogenic 
mutation can be used as hosts specifically for the cloning of 
DNA derived from ooli K-12 and Streptomyces coelicolor , 
S. aureofaciens , S. rimosus , S. griseus , S. cyaneus , and 
S. venezuelae using NIH-approved Staphylococcus aureus plas- 
mids as vectors under P2 conditions." 
I 
Dr. Campbell, recommended approval of the proposal. By a vote of fourteen 
in favor, none opposed, and three abstentions, the RAC adopted this proposal 
Dr. Reusser' s second proposal is as follows: 
" Streptomyces coelicolor , S. aureofaciens , S, rimosus , S. griseus , 
S. cyaneus and S. venezuelae can be used as hosts for the cloning 
of ENA derived Iron B. subtilis , E, coli K-12, or from Sj_ aureus 
vectors that have been approved for use in B^ subtilis , under P2 
conditions, using as vectors any plasmids indigenous to these 
Streptomyces species or able to replicate in these hosts by natur- 
al biological mechanisms." 
Dr. Novick proposed that there should be a restriction limiting the type 
of plasmid vector allowed to be used. He proposed to amend the language 
to require use of "nonconjugative" plasmid vectors. Dr. Campbell accepted 
the amendment. 
[174] 
