Stanford University. Stanford. California 94305 
Department of Biological Sciences 
CHARLES YANOFSKY 
Morris Herzstein Professor 
OF Biology 
April 6, 1981 
Dr. William Gar t land, Jr. 
Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
National Institute of General Medical Sciences 
National Institutes of Health 
Building 31, Room 4A52 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
Dear Dr. Gar t land: 
I would like to register my support for section III, page 17995 
of the Federal Register, Volume 46, No. 54, Friday, March 20, 
1981. 
I agree with all the statements in David Perkins* letter to you 
of February 1, 1981. Since Neurospora crassa is not a pest or 
pathogen, there is no justification for imposing more stringent 
containment conditions for research with Neurospora than for 
investigations with yeast or animal viruses. The current 
Guidelines are seriously hindering the use and development of 
Neurospora as a subject for recombinant DNA research. 
I support also the more general recommendations of Drs. Campbell 
and Baltimore in the same issue of the Federal Register (page 17995). 
On the basis of the experience of scientists over the past five 
years it seems entirely appropriate to convert the Guidelines into 
a "Code of Standard Practice", and to reduce required containment 
levels as suggested by Campbell and Baltimore. 
Sincerely yours 
CY:gm 
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