Beth Israel Medical Center FIRST AVENUE AT 16TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10003 (212) 420-2000 
August 12, 1988 
Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20892 
Dear Sirs: 
I am writing regarding review of planned experiments by the Recombinant 
DNA Advisory Committee, in preparation for submission of an application 
for Public Health Service Award on November 1, 1988. In the proposed 
experiments the gene for vancomycin resistance from leuconstoc species 
would be cloned into streptococcus sanguis via a helper plasmid system. 
These experiments fall into Class IILA (transfer of a drug resistance 
trait to micro-organisms that are not known to acquire it naturally) . 
Leuconstoc species, members of the streptococcaceae , are not included 
among the streptococcal species in sublist F, to which they are closely 
related; recombinant molecules consisting of DNA segments from species 
within a sublist are exempt under Section III-D-4. 
I would appreciate your advice on whether this proposal should be 
submitted to RAC, and whether leuconstoc species might be included as a 
member of sublist F. 
Thank you - 
Sincerely, 
Sandra Handwerger, M.D. 
Assistant Professor 
Department of Medicine 
Division of Infectious Diseases 
SH:eap 
Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 13 
[407] 
