12 
°f Eh_ coli which do "live in people" and the EK2 host-vector 
systems which will be used in these experiments. 
The inherent safety of coli K-12 and the EK2 
host-vector systems are discussed on pages 53-55 and 73-81 of 
the EIS, and Appendix H to the EIS. Some relevant passages 
of the EIS include: 
E . coli K-12 appears to be a harmless micro- 
organism. It does not usually establish 
itself in the normal bowel or multiply 
significantly in the alimentary tract. . . . 
(EIS at 53) . 
There is considerable difference between the 
ecology and epidemiology of K-12 and those 
E . coli strains that are pathogenic or 
commonly inhabit mammalian intestinal tracts. 
(EIS at 73) . 
The laboratory variants of K-12 to be used 
in recombinant DNA experiments have never 
been reported to cause disease, even in 
laboratory workers. K-12 has been grown 
in very large quantities (up to hundreds 
of liters containing up to lcA-2 that is, 
1,000,000,000,000 -- bacteria per liter at a 
time) in hundreds of laboratories all over 
the world over a period of 30 years and under 
containment conditions lower than those 
specified as PI in the Guidelines. . . . 
(EIS at 74) . 
[E]ven after normal humans have ingested up 
to 10 10 (10,000,000,000) K-12 cells, only 
transient multiplications of the bacteria in 
the intestines can be observed, and . . . after 
a time no K-12 can be detected in the feces. 
Thus, K-12 does not establish itself as a 
permanent resident of normal human beings. 
(EIS at 74) . 
It must also be pointed out that the complete experiment 
will be conducted in P4 physical containment laboratories. 
Such laboratories have been shown to safely contain microbes 
with a known and demonstrable infectious hazard to man and other 
animals. The basic physical containment device in this instance 
is a stainless steel and glass system of closed glove-boxes. 
All exhaust air is decontaminated before discharge and all 
research materials must be treated to sterilize them before 
[Appendix C — 120] 
