THE ELECTRONIC EDITION OF THE MICROBIAL GERMPLASM DATABASE NEWSLETTER This newsletter is published quarterly. If you would like to be placed on the regular mailing list please contact: Dr. Larry Moore Department of Botany and Plant Pathology Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-2902 USA or Electronic mail to: Mr. F. Joe Hanus hanusj@bionette.ucs.orst.edu Please indicate whether you would like to have a hard copy by US mail or an e- mail version. Please include your e-mail address with a preferred path if you choose. WELCOME TO NEW READERS We would like to welcome those of you who are new to this newsletter. For new readers, an article is included in this newsletter that appeared in the first issue. It is a statement of what we perceive to be 'the reason for being' for the MICROBIAL GERMPLASM DATA NETWORK. Briefly, our purpose is to facilitate communication between researchers who have culture collections (of any size) that relate to the plant sciences and to establish a database that will allow researchers an online directory of the vast diversity of germplasm that exists in working stock collections in the US. We expect to interface internationally with other existing networks. We hope that you will pass this newsletter to others in your location who may have collections or who may be interested in the development of the database. Provide us an address and they will be on the next mailing. In this issue we have included a short questionnaire. You could help us greatly if you would check off the answers so that we can tailor the newsletter and the network to your needs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- IN THIS ISSUE * NETWORK NEWS DATA FIELD SELECTION UNDERWAY AT&T GIFT TO AID DATABASE QUESTIONNAIRE FREE PROGRAM FOR COLLECTIONS? *COLLECTION NOTES PRESERVATION OF MELOIDOGYNE PLANT PATHOGEN MAILING OK GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR STOCK COLLECTIONS ELECTRONIC GRANT SUBMISSION DUE SOON *COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTERS CONNECTING TO THE NETWORKS NEW SOFTWARE: FOXBASE+ FOR MAC & IBM *EVENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- *********NETWORK NEWS SELECTION UNDERWAY OF DATA FIELDS FOR CULTURE COLLECTION DATABASE Before we can proceed with the implementation of the online database we (you) must decide which data is of high enough priority for inclusion in a national database and yet is sufficiently general so as not to violate the individual researcher's proprietary rights to her/his culture collection. We are presently consulting with experts who have working culture collections which include the categories of organisms and entities suggested for inclusion in the database. At this time we are proposing that inquiries to individual researchers should be at two levels: THE FIRST LEVEL will be an attempt to identify and characterize the collections. We will include data on location of the collection, scientist/curator and major groups of organisms accessed in the collection. THE SECOND LEVEL will include more specific information for each of the categories of plant-related organisms or entities an investigator chooses to include in the database. These data, of course, will be different for each of the classes of entities (attributes of interest to virologists would be different from those that might be important to researchers with endo/ecto -mycorrhizae). We will not attempt to identify each strain in each collection. Concerns for protection of the privacy of the individual scientist, mandate that requests for more detailed information than included in the second level of inquiry must be directed to the individual scientist overseeing the collection. AT&T DONATION TO PROVIDE FIRST HOME FOR MICROBIAL GERMPLASM DATABASE. A $383,000 grant of computer equipment has been awarded to Oregon State University for the purpose of developing biological computing capability. The gift includes two AT&T 3b minicomputers and associated peripherals. While the major beneficiary of the donation will be the OSU Center for Gene Research and Biotechnology, the package will provide the computing power necessary for us to begin the initial phases of the Microbial Germplasm Database. Informix 4GL, an SQL (structured query language) -based database development package has been included in the donation and will be used to implement the database management system. Individuals will be able to access the database either through modem by dialing in to the OSU computer center or through the various networks that allow communication between universities (see related article in this issue). Decisions regarding the nature and quantity of information to be stored in the central database are yet to be made. The proprietary nature of individual strain data and protection of the individual researchers interests remains a primary concern. *******QUESTIONNAIRE IN THIS ISSUE This newsletter contains a questionnaire that we hope you will check off and mail to us. We know there are many demands on your time but there is no other way to obtain this information which will assist us in tailoring the network and the database to your needs. While we will continue to solicit your comments and suggestions this type of formal plea for input will not occur often. Please attach any other comments to the questionnaire or submit them separately if you choose. We hope to be able to bring together a summary of the information for our next issue. IS THERE INTEREST IN A PROGRAM FOR MANAGEMENT OF WORKING CULTURE COLLECTIONS? Many of us have considered moving our documentation for our working culture collections from index cards and loose leaf notebooks to a computer. The benefits are obvious: the data can be updated quickly and an alphabetized or ordered listing obtained almost immediately; the location of any culture could be determined instantly; information on culture medium or last date of transfer could be available immediately; the collection could be rapidly searched for stains or cultures with specific biochemical, morphological, pathogenic or genetic traits; legible labels for culture tubes could be printed. The down side is that implementing your own database development system, even with the relatively friendly packages available now, requires a substantial investment of money for the initial purchase and time to learn to utilize the program. Because of the flexibility of these extremely powerful packages a great deal of learning time is required to devise a specific application. Most researchers do not have this time. We are considering the possibility of devising an application using Foxbase+ (a database development package that is similar to dBaseIII+, see article this newsletter) that would be dedicated for use with a working culture collection of between a hundred and several thousand strains. We would want the package to be extremely easy to learn (and therefore it could not be extremely flexible) but with enough versatility to be useful in the organization of the research oriented culture collection. We could distribute the program as either public domain (free but copyrighted) or shareware (a small charge to defray costs but not copy protected). We would appreciate your input. What features do you feel are essential? What features are desirable? *****COLLECTION NOTES CARRAGEENAN COATING PERMITS LONG-TERM STORAGE OF MELOIDOGYNE EGGS Nematologists have long had a need to store root-knot nematodes for prolong periods of time. [Ed. see last newsletter.] In an article accepted for publication in Journal of Nematology, George Fassuliotis (USDA, ARS, U.S. vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29414) and W.J. Connick (Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA 70179) report success in retaining viability in stored eggs of Meloidogyne incognita for periods of up to two years. Fassuliotis and Connick note that hydrocolloids (specifically sodium alginate with Ca for gelation) have been used successfully to encapsulate sustained-release herbicides, mycoherbicides, plant embryos and entomogenous nematodes. Though Ca-alginate gels were successful in maintaining viability of eggs of M. incognita and Filipjevimermis leipsandra the gels exhibit extreme syneresis. After excess water is removed the relative humidity had to be carefully controlled to prevent desiccation and loss of viability. Kappa carrageenan, a non-toxic hydrocolloid used as a thickener in baby food, forms strong gels with potassium and does not exhibit the undesirable syneresis of the alginate. These properties made it a logical choice for matrix for storage of nematode eggs. As described in the Journal of Nematology article, the hypochlorite-sterilized eggs of M. incognita from lima bean (Phaeseolus limensis Macf.) root were suspended and diluted in a carrageenan solution (2.5% Gelcarin CIC (TM)). The solution( maintained at 28C with stirring) was added drop-wise to ) 0.3M KCl solution. The droplets gelled on contact and formed uniform beads. After blotting with paper toweling the beads could be stored at 15C in Ziplock (TM) bags. Fassuliotis and Connick determined infectivity of the stored eggs bimonthly by inoculation of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) seedlings. Duplicate studies showed viability of the carageenan stored eggs for 21 and 24 months when in both cases failure of the incubation chambers forced termination of the experiments. While there was a slow decline in the viability of the M. incognita after 6 months, in all cases there were ample organisms to reestablish the population. [This is a summary of a preprint of the article accepted for publication and was kindly provided by the authors. Ed] PROPOSED MAIL BAN OF ETIOLOGICAL AGENTS LIKELY TO POSE NO THREAT TO SHIPPING OF PLANT PATHOGENS Rep. Frank McCloskey (Indiana) convened a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Postal Personnel and Modernization to take statements on the proposed ban of mailing of etiological agents. McCloskey's opening remarks included acknowledgment that "banning of the mailing of etiological agents would have a detrimental effect on standard medical research and diagnostic procedures". He went on to say that "full enforcement of existing regulations should guarantee public safety without jeopardizing scientific research. Support for the continued mailing of etiological agents came from the Postal Service Union who feared a reduction in Postal Service business if the ban were to be implemented. (the above is from an article taken from THE ATCC QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER, vol8(4). Fall 1988.) The ban at this time is not expected to extend to plant pathogens. In a telephone conversation, Dr. Thomas Gavan of the American College of Pathologists who sits on the advisory group to the Congressional Subcommittee, said that regulation changes proposed through either the Department of Transportation or the US Postal Service are likely to affect only those who ship materials that are infectious to either humans or animals. NSF SUPPORTS UPGRADES OF STOCK COLLECTIONS NSF bulletin, GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSALS FOR SUPPORT OF LIVING ORGANISM STOCK CENTERS (NSF 85-14) announces that the foundation is accepting proposals for the support of stock centers "whose maintenance will preserve an essential scientific resource at the national or international level". The proposals will be judged on quality of the collection, uniqueness, research utilization, national importance, type of stock center and long term commitment of the institution to the maintenance of the collection. Proposals must provide information regarding acquisition, documentation and utilization of the center (cultures sent out and to whom, visiting researchers, publications). The support is specifically for the stock centers and not for items normally included in usual research grants such as salaries of researchers, research supplies or specialized equipment for research. Funds are available for NON-research technical assistance, storage and equipment, minor renovations, expendables and supplies and publication of stock lists [could this mean database software, printers etc.?...Ed]. Persons wishing to obtain further information should contact Dr. James Edwards, Program Director; Biological Research Resource Program; Division of Biotic Systems and REsources; NSF; Washington, DC 20550. Phone 202/357-7475. NSF PREPARING TO ACCEPT PROPOSALS IN ELECTRONIC FORM In an experimental program called EXPRES, NSF will be encouraging researchers to submit their proposals electronically. This would mean little or no duplication or mailing costs, transmission in minutes to NSF and then to reviewers in minutes, cosmetic improvement because proposals would be printed on laser printers and easier tracking of submitted proposals. Proposals will be submitted as Postscript files (Postscript is a language for driving laser printers) and the software for proposal submission (which is being developed by Carnegie Mellon) should be available on most campuses in the near future. In addition proposal templates will be available for most common document processors. Signatures will still be required on one paper copy. If you would like more information contact Dr. Gerald Stuck and NSF (e-mail to gstuck@note.nsf.gov). *****COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTERS ACCESS: GETTING STARTED WITH TELECOMMUNICATION GOING ON LINE. The value of a computerized database is only realized if it is readily accessible by a large body of interested individuals. Since our goal is to make the microbial germplasm database available to scientists throughout the U.S. and to interface with other networks internationally we are attempting to provide basic information to those who are linking up to computer networks. In most academic laboratories adding the capability of telecommunication and access to educational electronic networks is quite inexpensive and the technical expertise to help you is readily available. GETTING CONNECTED. For a minimal cost a microcomputer can serve as a telecommunications terminal without losing any of its present capability. If your need for telecommunication is not great you may find other scientists in you location that would be willing to share the costs of adding that capability to a single existing personal computer. Most universities have a department specializing in computer services to assist you in connecting your computer to the phone line or to a local area network (LAN) on your campus. Check with them first. It is often possible to make any needed purchases through your institution at much reduced rates. Unless you have considerable technical background you can save money by seeking advice either from computer specialists on your campus or from user groups since expensive features in both software and hardware may not be essential to your application. The advice is usually free and you can ignore it later if you choose. The least expensive (initially) means to connect to bulletin boards, databases and other remote computers is by phone line through a telephone modem. This device translates the outgoing flow of electrical pulses from your computer's serial port to a modulated signal transmissible by phone line and then demodulates incoming signal to regenerate the string of pulses sent by a remote computer. You will also need telecommunication software to control the modem and allow your computer to emulate a telecommunication terminal. Modems range upward in price from approximately $150. Software can cost several hundred dollars but excellent public domain or shareware software is available for free or for a negligible registration fee. (Kermit, named after the famous frog is free, readily available and almost universally used at most UNIX based university computer sites). While some database and bulletin board services accessible by phone are free or have a minimal charge (i.e. the TRF bulletin board sponsored by BIOSIS) others have a substantial monthly charge plus an additional pro rata charge for the time used. Data transfer is slow, usually 1200 to 2400 baud (less than 150 to 300 characters per second or about 10-20 seconds to fill the screen on a pc.) Large data files can take minutes to hours to transfer. The economy of this option may only be apparent if long distance charges and phone line charges become substantial. Another option is to connect your terminal or pc to your campus computer system by either phone line via modem or by a device analogous to the modem but much faster and operating on dedicated cabling on a local area network (LAN). You will first establish an account (usually free or inexpensive) on a host machine on your campus that will handle all the protocol of connecting you to other host machines both on your campus and at other remote locations (other universities). Each host machine has a unique name (a mail server on the Oregon State University campus is named beasley after the mailman in the comic strip, Dagwood). You can then log on to your host machine with your login name and password and use your pc to control the host machine as though it were an extension of your pc. GOING NATIONAL. Almost all academic institutions in the US are linked through fiber optic networks sponsored by NSF. Campus LANS feed into regional networks (NORTHWESTNET in the pacific northwest, BARRNET in the Bay Area surrounding San Francisco and University Satellite Network (USAN) and dozens of others in the US). These are linked along the national communication backbone, NSFNET. You, through your pc and your campus computer can gain access to files or run programs on remote computers thousands of miles away. The use of NSFNET is free (no long-distance telephone charges) and is encouraged by most universities. The actual protocol or routing through the network and connecting to the remote computer is handled by software (Telnet) and is not much more complex than placing a long distance phone call. Information transfer is extremely fast, 1.44 million bits per second under ideal circumstances though the practical speed of data transfer is dependant on the network traffic. An actual example would be the transfer of 263,000 characters (about 70 pages of single space typewritten text) from Boulder, CO to Corvallis, OR in 51 sec. The NSFNET connection would be the method of choice for accessing the germplasm database since the cost to the user would be minimal and the speed would be sufficient for interactive queries to the database. A hypothetical search of the database which will reside on a computer whose host name is BIONETTE might resemble the following: (For our purposes here we will title the program for utilizing the MICROBIAL GERMPLASM DATABASE, "GERMBASE") 1. Log on to you host machine on your campus using your pc. 2. Use the TELNET program to route through NSFNET to bionette by typing "TELNET bionette" 3. Log on to bionette with your name and a password. 4. Run the program by typing "GERMBASE" at the "$" prompt of bionette 5. Follow the instructions on the screen to search the areas in which you are interested. It will be also be possible for users who do not have access to NSFNET to dial in to bionette long distance using a telephone modem. The responses will be slower and the user will have a long distance charge. FOXBASE+ MAKES VISUAL DATABASES POSSIBLE FOR CULTURE COLLECTIONS Foxbase+, a dBase III+ look-alike, has moved into the database software market with an extensive ad campaign and glowing reviews. The package is totally compatible with dBase programs and data files and, Foxbase claims, it run faster. Data files are identical in structure but index files are slightly different purportedly effecting the speed-up. While the version for IBM compatibles [we have received a demo and will review it next issue. Ed] has given MS-DOS dBase some painful competition, the Foxbase+/Mac II combination is apparently formidable. "Foxbase+/Mac runs circles around the competition" (Computing Canada, June 9, 1988). Unique to Foxbase+ is its ability to integrate graphics into the database. Visual databases for culture collections utilizing picture fields would not only be possible with this system, but if reviews are correct, could be executed with "blinding speed". The exceptional graphics capabilities of the Mac II and its ability to control the graphics with windows may make this combination a valuable taxonomic tool. Reports in the COMPUTER DATABASES section of the UNIX news network, however, indicate that the multi-user package has not received the same glorious welcome. The LAN package apparently will not easily run background tasks (e.g. overnight report generation) unless the program retains control of the terminal screen. Also, more than one user may not have a single record available to them at the same time (concurrent access) thereby limiting multi-user capability. You might want to get your copy quickly, though. February 1989 UnixWorld reports "Ashton-Tate has filed a copyright infringement suit against Fox Software Inc. and The Santa Cruz Operation, charging them with copying the concept and the appearance of four versions of Dbase...". *****EVENTS MARCH '89 1-6 Molecular Evolution. Lake Tahoe, CA. UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology. Contact: UCLA Symposia 103 Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1378, (213) 206-6292. 6-10 Recombinant DNA Methodology. Washington, D.C. Sponsor: The Catholic University of America. Contact: Dr. Roland Nardone, The Center for Advanced Training, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, (202) 635-6161. APRIL '89 UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology. Contact: UCLA Symposia, 103 Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1378, (213) 206-6292. 1-7 Plant Gene Transfer. Park City, Utah. 3-9 Molecular and Cellular Biology of Yeasts and Filamentous Fungi. Steamboat Springs, Colo. MAY '89 14-19 ASM Annual Meeting (89th). New Orleans, LA. Contact: Richard A. Bray, Meetings Dept., American Society for Microbiology, 1913 I St. NW, Washington, DC 20006 15-..19 FEMS Symposium on Microbial Surface Components and Toxins in Relation to Pathogenesis. Jerusalem, Israel. Sponsor: Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Contact: Prof. E. Ron, Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv 69-978, Tel .Aviv, Israel. JUNE '89 11-14 Canadian Society of Microbiologists Conference (39th Annual). Laval, Quebec, Canada. Contact: Dr. L. Berthiaume, Chairman, Local Organizing Committee, or Dr. M. Brown, Meetings Secretary, Canadian Society of Microbiologists, 1611 Baseline Rd, Ottawa, Ontario K2C 0B6, Canada. 12-14 European Conference on Industrial Biotechnology (4th). Varese, Italy. Sponsor: Associazione Farmaceutici Industria, Associazione Nazionale per le Sviluppo delle Biotechnologie. Contact: S. Merli, Conference Secretariat, Farmitalia-C. Erba, Via dei Gracchi, 35, 20146 Milan, Italy, tel., 02-6995-4661. 27-30 Federation of Classification Societies Meeting (2nd International). Charlottesville, Va. Sponsor: IFCS. Contact: IFCS-89, Dept. of Mathematics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, 804) 924-4919. JULY '89 5-7 Beijing International Conference on Biotechnology. Beijing, China. Sponsors: Chinese Society for Microbiology, ASM, China Association for Science and Technology, and International Union of Microbiological Societies. Contact: Secretariat, Beijing International Conference on Biotechnology, Zhongguancun, Hidan 100080, Beijing, China. AUGUST '89 6-10 40th Annual AIBS Meeting - "Global Change". University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Chairman: Nancy G. Dengler, Associate Professor of Botany, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1. Tel: 416/978-3536. Contact: Meetings Department, American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) 730 11th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001-4584 Tel: 202/628-1500. SEPTEMBER '89 14-17 Molecular Plant Bacteriology (5th International Fallen Leaf Lake Conference). South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Sponsor: University of California, Davis. Contact: Clarence Kado, Director, Fallen Leaf Lake Conference, Dept. of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616. Q U E S T I O N N A I R E ------------------------------------cut here------------------------------------ Copy this portion to your word processor or text editor. Reset margins to left 0 and Right 0. This questionnaire may be returned by: e-mail to hanusj@bionette.ucs.orst.edu OR US MAIL to Dr. Larry Moore, Chairperson ESCOP Subcommittee on Microbial & Subcellular Germplasm Collections Department of Botany and Plant Pathology Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-2902 SURVEY OF MICROBIOLOGICAL AND SUBCELLULAR GERMPLASM CULTURE COLLECTIONS NAME: INSTITUTION: ADDRESS: PHONE NO. ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS: FAX NUMBER: 1. How many different cultures of each group are included in your collection? a. Single/multi-cellular elements _____Fastidious Procaryotes _____Bacteria _____Fungi _____Endo/Ecto-mycorrhizae _____Protozoa _____Algae _____Nematodes b. Subcellular elements _____Plasmids _____Cloning Vectors _____Cloned genes, libraries _____Plant viruses _____Mycoviruses _____Phage _____Cloned MCA's _____Antisera _____Viroids _____Satellite nucleic acids _____Other nucleic acids 2. Is your collection centered around particular organisms or groups, Yes_____ no_____ (if yes, please specify___________________________). 3. How many sequenced DNA cultures or strains are included in your collection?_____________(actual) (estimated) 4. What proportion of your collection do you estimate is used for : Research_______Teaching_______Other__________ 5. Do you receive funds specifically for the support of your collection? Yes_____ No______ 6. Do you provide cultures to other scientists? Yes_____ No_____ Do you charge? Yes_____ No_____ 7. a. Do you maintain some type of documentation for each accession? Yes_____ No_____ b. If yes is the documentation in computer format? Yes_____ No_____ 8. If you answered NO to 7b: a. Are you interested in developing such a system? Yes_____ No_____ b. What are the constraints against developing a computerized system.? ____time and labor ____funding ____computer availability ____not needed 9. If you answered YES to 7b: a. What type of computer system do you use? a.Micro____ Mini____ Mainframe b. Which type of Micro __Macintosh __IBM compatible __Radio Shack __Apple II series Other (please list) ______________ c. Describe briefly the program you are using to catalog your collection. d. Is your computer used for telecommunication? Yes_____ No_____. If yes for what purposes? __electronic mail __local area network (sharing of common files or equipment) __access to bibliographic databases __access to genetic databases __national networks (internet, bitnet, bionet)_ __other(please specify)_______________________ 10. List the specific main headings of information recorded for each accession in your documentation for your collection.(e.g. genus, species, host, geographical location of isolation, etc.) 11. a. Would you find a directory of research laboratories compiled from this survey useful? Yes___No___ b. What uses would such a directory have in your work? 12 Would you find such a directory valuable if it were available for computer access? Yes_____ No_____ KINDLY LIST THE NAMES OF THE OTHER COLLEAGUES AT YOUR INSTITUTION WHO MAINTAIN CULTURE COLLECTIONS OR GIVE THEM A COPY OF THIS QUESTIONNAIRE TO COMPLETE AND RETURN. REPRINTED FROM: MICROBIAL GERMPLASM DATA NET DECEMBER 1988 VOLUME 1 NO. 1 PROTECTION OF A RESOURCE: THE NEED FOR THE MICROBIAL GERMPLASM DATABASE Our collections of microorganisms and subcellular entities maintained in research laboratories represent a diverse and valuable national resource which has been under-appreciated and under-funded in the past. The wave of advances in biotechnology and genetic engineering has brought to focus the value, both in commercial applications and in basic research, of the rich pool of genetic information that is present in these many relatively small working research collections. Many of these small working collections face extinction as funding for research becomes sparse, as principal investigators retire, as institutional research interest shift. Some of the germplasm which resides in these collections may exist nowhere else except in these col-lections since the environment from which the original cultures were iso-lated may no longer exist. The World Federation of Culture Collections at the International Congress of Culture Collections VI in College Park, MD in November devoted a complete session to the endangered culture collection. As yet no accurate assessment has been made of the extent and variety of germplasm in the many collections. Our present knowledge of "who" has "what" germplasm is at best terribly disorganized. For this reason RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING A COMPUTERIZED NETWORK TO LINK TOGETHER SCIENTISTS who as part of their research or teaching programs maintain working collections of microorganisms or subcellular entities which have some relationship to plants or in vitro manipulation and culture of plant tissue. The goal is to develop a central database accessible by all researchers. The database will contain minimum data sets describing individual collections. Enquiries can then be made through a distributive network to the individual laboratory in which the culture of interest resides. As data are accumulated in the central database we will publish a catalog with identities, interests and general contents of individual collections in the United States. This Newsletter is the first of what will become a regular publication of the Microbial Germplasm Network. Its role will be to provide a forum for discussion of problems and issues affecting the working culture collection and to keep you informed of progress we are making in the development of the database and the network linking participating laboratories. The newsletter will also act to solicit from you suggestions and criticisms about how best to achieve these goals. We also want to present innovative laboratory techniques, notification of upcoming events, pertinent literature citations, software criticisms, questions or suggestions and news items that bear upon culture collections. A few thought about the overall philosophy: 1. You do not have to have a computer or telecommunication facility to participate. We will have the information available not only through modem but in published catalog form. 2. Laboratories that provide information for the databases are IN NO WAY OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE CULTURES OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ANYONE. 3. You may delete or modify any of information which you have provided at any time you wish. You, as the scientist, maintain control of your data. SURVEY OF MICROBIOLOGICAL AND SUBCELLULAR GERMPLASM CULTURE COLLECTIONS NAME:____________________________________________ DEPT:____________________________________________ INSTITUTION:_____________________________________ ADDRESS________________________________________ CITY____________________________________ST_____ POSTAL CODE_____________ COUNTRY_______________ PHONE NO.____________________________________ ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS _____________________ FAX NUMBER__________________________________ 1. How many (PLEASE GIVE NUMBERS, EVEN IF THEY ARE APPROXIMATE) different cultures of each group are included in your collection? a. Single/multi-cellular elements _____Fastidious Procaryotes _____Bacteria _____Fungi _____Endo/Ecto-mycorrhizae _____Protozoa _____Algae _____Nematodes b. Subcellular elements _____Plasmids _____Cloning Vectors _____Cloned genes, libraries _____Plant viruses _____Mycoviruses _____Phage _____Cloned MCA's _____Antisera _____Viroids _____Satellite nucleic acids _____Other nucleic acids 2. Is your collection centered around particular organisms or groups, Yes_____ no_____ (if yes, please specify___________________________). 3. How many DNA sequences are included in your collection?_____________ 4. What proportion of your collection do you estimate is used for : Research_______ Teaching_______ Other__________ 5. Do you receive funds specifically for the support of your collection? Yes_____ No______ 6. Do you provide cultures to other scientists? Yes_____ No_____ Do you charge? Yes_____ No_____ 7. a. Do you maintain documentation for each accession? Yes___No____ b. If yes is the documentation in computer format? Yes_____ No_____ 8. If you answered NO to 7b: a. Are you interested in developing such a system? Yes_____ No_____ b. What are the constraints against developing a computerized system.? ____time and labor____funding____computer availability____not needed 9. If you answered YES to 7b: a. What type of computer system do you use? Macintosh _____ IBM compatible_____ Radio Shack_____ Apple II series____ Mini _____ Mainframe_____Other ______________ b. Describe briefly the program you are using to catalog your collection. c. Is your computer used for telecommunication? Yes_____ No_____. If yes for what purposes? _____electronic mail _____local area network _____bibliographic databases _____access to genetic databases _____national networks (internet, bitnet, bionet) _____other(please specify)_______________________ 10. List the specific main headings of information recorded for each accession in your documentation for your collection.(e.g. genus, species, host, geographical location of isolation, etc.) 11. a. Would you find a directory of research laboratories compiled from this survey useful? Yes_____No_______ b. What uses would such a directory have in your work? 12 Would you find such a directory valuable if it were available for computer access? Yes_____ No_____ NOTE: _____ PLEASE RETURN THIS SURVEY TO: Dr. Larry Moore, Chairperson ESCOP Subcommittee on Microbial & Subcellular Germplasm Collections Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-2902 OR: e-mail to hanusj@bionette.cgrb.orst.edu