Minutes 2006 Bacteriology Committee Meeting
II. Chair’s Report
1. Motion by Don Kobayashi to approve last year’s minutes. Seconded by Jeff Jones.
III. Current Business
- Jim Lang from APHIS
a. Problems with Minneapolis accounting (how much money there was). This has been resolved. Problems with permit systems. Get re-authenticated for e-permits. This should be done here at the meeting. Otherwise, you have to go … to show a I.D.
b. Select Agents list. Be ready, because a new list of organisms that may potentially be added to this list will come out soon for public opinion.
- Subcommittee Reports
A. Listing of prevalent bacteria: Norm Schaad reported that the subcommittee has a list for APHIS, but they are having trouble getting APHIS to accept it. He would like the Bacteriology committee to pressure APHIS to accept/reject the list. APHIS gives money to the Bacteriology committee to follow up on this. There is a meeting with APHIS on Monday, and a report/minutes will be available after the meeting.
B. Bacterial taxonomy: Who is the chair? Should we maintain this subcommittee? Any volunteers to chair it? Norm Schaad commented that APS should provide taxonomy rules, etc. Carolee Bull will be the new convener of the International Committee. Report that they are working on a paper with rules, etc. and they have a list on their website (but it needs to be updated). So, perhaps APS should look to the International Committee. Norm Schaad suggested that perhaps our subcommittee could produce a website that includes info from the International committee.
C. Culture collection/repository: Jeff Jones spoke. Norm Schaad: ICBPP has a collection and curator. Money is available for this. Everyone can deposit his/her collection in the international repository (free, covered by USDA). There are about 5000 strains in the collection now. No relationship with ATCC. There are issues with depositing select agents. To get more money from ARS, mention biosecurity.
D. APS press: Ann Alvarez reported that APS press met. A textbook is being written, by COTTO, regarding general plant bacteriology for release this December. She is still working on the image collection. There are currently ~1200 images. She is working on getting the names straightened out. This should be completed in December. There are no other bacteriology items in press.
e. Committee website: People should update their information and email Wes Chun directly. He will also post anything related to bacteriology that you submit.
f. Genomics: (Joyce Loper absent) Don Kobayashi gave update. list is on the website. Request to shorten the immediate priority list from ten to three – in rank order.
4. Plant Management Network: Dennis Gross encouraged submissions of reviews, etc. For example Soybean Rust Symposium proceedings were posted on the site. It does not cost to publish on PMN.
5. New Business
a. new members are welcomed.
b. new officer nominations/volunteers. Vice Chair: Susan von Bodman volunteered.
c. special session topics.
- 2008 centennial meeting: new format: Due to so many activities, oral presentations may be eliminated/altered. One possibility is that certain students/post-docs will be selected for talks. Or, they may give a 3-slide presentation of their poster. What does this committee think? The committee suggests increasing the time from 5 minutes to 7-8 minutes. One suggestion was to limit the talks to last year students. The overall opinion was “no”. The concern is that it limits opportunities for students and post-docs.
- Also, mini plenary sessions: covering an impacting topic in the various fields of research…covering the history, current technology, future. The committee does not oppose this idea.
-2007 topics: Norm suggested “cross-domain bacteria”. In the past this was highly received by the Bact. Committee but not by sci. programs. Genetic and taxonomic points-of-view. Jim Graham suggested “citrus greening” Emerging problem in Florida. He would talk, and current status of epidemic and management in Brazil, Mike Irie candiditus in asy…and Michael Rogers…Tim Gottwald…Jim Alfano proposed type III effectors and enzymatic activities. Shen Yang He, Roger Innis or Jack Dickson , Jeff Dangl, himself, Stéphane Genin, Brian Staskawicz…Biochem committee will co-sponsor.Emerging diseases committee should be asked to co-sponsor citrus greening. proposed phage as bacterial control. Votes: 1. cross-domain (18 votes); 2. ttss effectors (14 votes); 3. phage (8 votes) 4. citrus greening (7 votes)