APRIL 27-28-MINUTES OF MEETING 
26 
Dr. Faust discusses in seme detail the relationship of this host- 
vector system to EL ooli and other prokaryotic systems described 
in the Guidelines. He states that the narrow host range and lack 
of evidence for pathogenicity in mammals (i.e., Class I agent) 
should provide biological containment equal to EKl hosts. 
Dr. Faust cites other authors who maintain that B. popilliae and 
B. thuringiensis exchange genetic information. He is unable to 
say whether the B. thuringiensis plasmids are non-conjugative. 
The RAC noted that these organises are safe pesticides registered 
by the EPA. However, it was felt that these organisms will have 
difficulty in meeting HVl criteria under the proposed revised 
Guidelines. In addition, these experiments may not be exempt 
under the revised Guidelines because this pair of organisms may 
not appear on the list of genetic exchangers. The RAC then voted 
10 to 1 to reconmend that an exception be granted for the proposed 
recombinant DNA experiments based on their safety rather than on 
containment. 
J. Cloning in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata 
Dr. Alan Lambowitz of Saint Louis University requested review of 
recombinant ENA experiments involving Rhodopseudomonas capsulata . 
Ihe experiments are divided into two stages. In the first stage, 
fragments of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata DNA would be cloned in 
Rhodopseudomonas capsulata strain MB615 using EL coli plasmids 
as vectors under P2 conditions. A clone will be selected that 
carries a fragment of the IL capsulata gencme that can complement 
the lesion that renders MB615 non- photosynthetic. 
In the second stage, the plasmid thus selected will be isolated 
from FL capsulata and cloned in an EKl host . Ihis plasmid will 
then be amplified and harvested to produce a probe for use in 
in vitro RNA-DNA hybridization experiments. 
The information which was submitted contained no data on survival 
outside the laboratory. RAC members felt that the situation parallels 
the Pseudomonas putida case described in item B. The RAC unanimously 
passed a motion to the effect that the investigators should be informed 
that, under the 1976 Guidelines, approval can be given under Pi 
conditions for those experiments in which no conjugative plasmids 
are present in the FL capsulata host when recombinant DNA is present, 
and after data have been submitted on (the poorer) survival in soil 
of the EL capsulata host strain compared to wild type. If these 
two conditions cannot be met, the RAC recommends that an exemption 
to the 1976 Guidelines be granted on the grounds that IL capsulata 
and EL coli exchange ENA, and that similar experiments have been 
recommended for total exemption under the revised Guidelines. 
[ 542 ] 
