FEBRUARY 15-16 - MINUTES OF MEETING 
14 
chromosome, and organisms which exchange chromosomal information 
that is not necessarily integrated into the chromosome of the 
recipient (see Director's Decision Document, Federal Register, 
December 22, 1978, page 60100). The RAC agreed that the proposed 
list is based solely on exchange of chromosomal DNA. 
Dr. Campbell moved acceptance of the list. The motion was passed 
by a vote of 17 to 0 with 3 abstentions. 
B. BACILLUS SUBTILIS HV1 SYSTEM. 
The RAC considered the following proposal for acceptance of B. 
subtilis as an HV1 system: 
"Asporogenic mutant derivatives of B. subtilis can 
be accepted as the host component of an HV1 system. 
These derivatives must not revert to sporeformers with 
a frequency greater than lO - ”^; data confirming this 
requirement must be presented to NIH for certification. 
The following plasmids are accepted as the vector compo- 
nents of certified B. subtilis HV1 systems: pUBllO, 
pC194, pS194 , pSA2100, pE194, pT127, pUB112, pC221, 
pC223 . " 
The Bacillus subtilis system was recommended by the Working Group 
as a host system in conjunction with certain plasmids because it 
offers distinct advantages for genetic manipulation and is of 
little or no potential hazard. B. subtilis , an obligate aerobe, 
is net normally indigenous to man, is non-pathogen ic to man, and 
is generally found in the soil. In Japan, a vegetable cheese 
composed of live Bacillus natto , almost identical to B. subtilis , 
is consumed in large quantities by an estimated 80% of the popula- 
tion. In France, deliberate ingestion of B. subtilis known as 
"Bactisubtil" is similarly widespread and is used therapeutically 
for certain digestive disorders. B. subtilis is not a normal 
inhabitant of the gut since it is an obligative aerobe. 
Dr. Kutter moved acceptance of the proposal. The motion carried 
by a vote of 15 to 0 with 4 abstentions. 
C. EQUIVALENCE OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS HV1 SYSTEMS WITH THOSE OF E. COLI . 
The following statement regarding equivalency of Bacillus subtilis 
systems that had been approved by the RAC at its meeting on October 
15-16, 1978 was omitted from the January 15, 1979 Federal Register 
announcement : 
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