Fusarium at the FGSC

The USDA has updated their permit process for genetically engineered plant pathogens.
Following re-organization in the BRS, their most recent statement says that one does not need a permit to work with genetically engineered Plant Pathogenic Fungi, but that one needs a permit to transport them. The permit is online here: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/permits/brs_epermits.shtml

4/17/07

There are a number of ways to search for Fusarium at the FGSC web-site.

The FGSC holds 531 Fusarium strains as well as gene libraries, cloned genes, transformation vectors and RFLP probes. We also have the BAC and Fosmid libraries from the Broad Institute F. graminearum genome project.

At the 24th Fungal Genetics Conference at Asilomar, the FGSC published the following:

To the Greater Fusarium Research Community,

The Fungal Genetics Stock Center has for a number of years accepted and maintained a number of Fusarium strains as well as resources for working with Fusarium.

Because the USDA regulates work with Fusarium, we have maintained permits for receiving and holding Fusarium strains. Our current permit imposes a number of limitations on us including the following:

"Receipt and culture of foreign isolates is not authorized under this permit"

"This permit does not authorize the introduction, importation, interstate movement, or release into the environment of any genetically engineered organisms or products"

An earlier permit authorized the FGSC to move and import isolates from "worldwide sources to Kansas to be placed in a culture collection" and we received a permit to move the collection from Kansas to Missouri.

Because the newer permits are more stringent in their requirements, and because most modern research with filamentous fungi involves genetic engineering, we are seeking to involve the Fusarium research community in decisions pertaining to our maintenance of existing materials and acceptance of new materials, as we have done with other communities such as the Aspergillus community and Magnaporthe community. The Policy Statement of the Magnaporthe Advisory Committee is available as a guideline.

Prior to expanding a collection beyond a few type strains, we request the members of a community to develop an Advisory Board to the FGSC to define criteria to determine what strains and materials should be maintained by the stock center, who will be the keeper of a backup copy of the collection and to attempt to secure funding to assist the Stock Center.

This is also more important as a number of researchers with extensive collections are facing retirement in the next ten years.

Because we do not have an Advisory Committee for Fusarium and because of the issues surrounding work with genetically engineered strains, the FGSC will no longer accept for deposit or distribute strains whose status is questionable because of their genotype or origin.

We have been informed by the USDA that genome libraries or individual clones from such libraries are not considered to be "genetically engineered products." As such, we will continue to distribute cloned Fusarium material as well as genomic DNA from Fusarium.

Finally, as there are three collections in the US that accept Fusarium for deposit, we would like to ensure that resources are deposited in the most appropriate and accessible collection.

3/7/07 KMC

The USDA Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) issued its Spring 2007 Stakeholder Update where they announced that they are undergoing a major revision of their how they regulate genetically engineered organisms. They say:

"BRS is undertaking a major revision of its guidance on the regulation of GE organisms. The project will update and consolidate all agency guidance related to compliance with APHIS’ biotechnology regulations (7 CFR 340) into a single printed publication, entitled the BRS User’s Guide. In January 2007, the first two chapters of the new BRS User's Guide were posted online. These include a chapter on document preparation guidelines, including how to handle CBI, and guidance for notifications. As BRS completes new guidance chapters they will also be placed online, until all existing guidance is replaced with new guidance. All BRS User’s Guide chapters are available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/brs_usersguide.html"

The last time the regulations were updated was November 1996. Officially "Developers and researchers may petition APHIS to remove the regulated organism from BRS oversight, " but the petition process is geared entirely toward crop plants.

This is an important time to weigh in with your opinion about how genetically engineered plant pathogenic fungi are regulated. Registering as a BRS Stakeholder is a first step towards being better informed about this important issue. Contacting your Senator or Congress Representative is another way to be heard. You can also contact the USDA Biotechnology Regulatory Services directly.

Return to the FGSC home page

4/17/07 KMC