May 21-23 - MINUTES OF MEETING 
22 
One outside commentator opposed the use of any host-vector system for 
cloning foreign DNA unless it had a non-reverting mutation abolishing 
capacity to produce spores, conidia, etc. The RAC felt that the basic 
issue is persistence of the host. Oie RAC reviewer said that Dr. Cohen 
is probably requesting the use of sporogenic B. subtil is hosts because 
they are more viable and, therefore, more convenient to use. However, 
it was felt that his laboratory could adequately handle asporogenic 
hosts. Seme RAC members felt that the analogy with yeast is not 
compelling because B. subtilis spores are much more resistant than yeast 
spores, and that sporulation serves a different role in the life cycle. 
The RAC then voted 14 in favor, 1 opposed, with 5 abstentions, to disapprove 
this request. Dr. Campbell was one of the abstainers. 
The RAC then considered the second request of Dr. Cohen that Streptomyces 
coelicolor can be used as a host for the cloning of DNA derived frem 
B. subtilis , E. coli K-12, or frem S. aureus vectors that have been approved 
for use in B. subtilis under P2 conditions. The RAC noted that S. coelicolor 
forms conidia. Several members of the RAC felt that if sporulation is 
the main concern, P2 should not be approved and the P3 level should be 
required. The RAC then voted 13 to 0, with 6 abstentions, to disapprove 
this request. Dr. Campbell was one of the abstainers. 
XVI. PROPOSED COSMID EK2 VECTOR 
Dr. Campbell reported that a request by Dr. John Collins for certification of 
a oosmid EK2 system could not be reviewed because information requested on 
the host component had not been forthcoming frem Dr. Collins. 
XVII. PROPOSED EXEMPTION FOR PSEUDOMONAS PETTI DA AND PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS 
UNDER SECTION I-E-4 
Dr. N. Omston of Yale University proposed, in accord with Section I-E-4 of 
the Guidelines, that Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens be added 
to the exempt list in Appendix A of gram-negative organisms that exchange 
DNA by known physiological processes. [Executive Secretary's Note: 
Pseudomonas fluorescens incorrectly appeared in the Federal Register of 
April 13, 1979 as Pseudomonas aeruginosa . ] Several members of the RAC 
felt that the transduction data are not complete, i.e., reversion fre- 
quencies for transduced markers are not reported. 
The RAC voted 17 to 1, with 1 abstention, to defer action on the proposed 
exemption until additional data are obtained. 
XVIII . DEFINITION OF INDIGENOUS PLASMID 
ORDA referred to the RAC a request (669) for clarification of the definition 
of an indigenous plasmid. The definition is important to investigators who 
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