Vol. 22, No.5 September/ October 1995 NEWSLETTER American Society of Plant Physiologists
Inside This Issue.... SIEDOW SEES "EXCITING, UNCERTAIN TIMES"
4 FOR ASPP Obituaries Outgoing President Cites Urgent Need for 6 Member Involvement Section News I would like to use my final president's Further, the need to embrace this new letter to review the state of the American field was recognized by people such as 7-10 Society of Plant Physiologists as I prepare Joe Varner and Charlie Arntzen, among Public Affairs to leave the office of president. I have others, who pushed the Society to tackle • DOE Energy Biosciences served on the executive committee of the the ambitious task of initiating a purely Society for the past nine years, and I never plant-based journal that would attract the • E-Mail Network cease to be amazed at the extent to which best papers in the area of plant molecular • Agency Reps Speak ASPP, which often gets rapped for being biology. I need not dwell on how suc • USDA Competitive a stodgy outfit, is, more often than not, cessful THE PLANT CELL has been in ac complishing that goal. Even with compe Research Program operating at the leading edge. When mo lecular biology began to make its pres tition coming from journals that have ence felt in the scientific world, our mem copied our formula, the Society can take 10 bers rapidly applied those tools to ques pride in the fact that in Plant Physiology Journal "Hot Papers" tions which had long resisted answer us and THE PLANT CELL, we publish the two ing classical physiological and biochemi 14 cal approaches. continued on page ( Education Forum
15 Plant Physiology Editorial Board
16 ASPP Awards
18 People
19 Gatherings
22 Letter to the Editor
25 Jobs
Deadline for the November/December 1995 issue Rosannah Taylor, center. a former student of the late Joe Varner. demonstrates tissue of the ASPP Newsletter printing. a technique reinvented by Varner, at a workshop conducted at the 1995 ASPP is November 1,1995. annual meeting in Charlotte. North Carolina. (See obituary for Varner on page 5.) 2 ASPP Newsletter con~inued from page] congressmen, congressional testimony by Society members on plant science-related best journals in the world covering the fWlding legislation, and ASPP input on overall field of experimental plant biol draft legislation. Through Brian's efforts, ogy. Through the efforts of editors ASPP is becoming known among Con Maarten Chrispeels and Brian Larkins, I gressional staff members on Capitol Hill. have no doubt that both journals will I will not say this allows us to single continue to grow, evolve, and improve. handedly influence the NSF or USDA-NRI The future of our journals is bright but budgets, because I know that isn't true. it is not without its caveats. I need not However, to the extent that ASPP is be explain the extent to which the world of ginning to be listened to and people on scientific publications is undergoing Capitol Hill trust what ASPP tells them, wholesale change due to the ongoing we can, over the long haul, expect to have revolution in communications. ASPP a positive effect. needs to be attuned to the changes taking Brian has not done it alone. We have place in this environment. The leadership called upon and will continue to call upon of Maarten Chrispeels in converting the ASPP members to aid in this endeavor. Plant Gene Register section of Plant Physi Any member reading this newsletter in ologJ} to an electronic format has already terested in playing a role in public affairs, started us down this road. We are not a please make either Brian Hyps large enough organization to serve as a ([email protected]) or Ralph Quatrano true beta test site for an electronic jour ([email protected]) aware of that fact; there are nal, but do we need to be in a position to plenty of things to do. On the other hand, act quickly as changes take place in this Jim Siedow. 1994-1995 ASPP president. membership in ASPP alone makes you a calls to order the 1995 ASPP annual rapidly moving arena. Our publications meeting. member of the public affairs committee of staff has been monitoring these changes, the whole, and I strongly urge you to pay but in order to help them keep abreast of since we initiated both THE PLANT CELL and close attention to and respond to requests the changes and to facilitate thinking a series of editorial changes in Plant Physi that come from Brian, the committee on about how the Society can best adapt as ology. This is quite an achievement and public affairs, or the soon-to-be-extant change is needed-and it will be needed one that puts the Society on firm finan ASPP World Wide Web homepage. I have set up an ad hoc subcommittee on cial footing as we face the many chal Also seeing spectacular growth in the electronic publications. This subcommit lenges that lie ahead. past year are the efforts of the education tee of the publications committee is Let's focus briefly on another success committee. Chaired by Susan Singer, this charged with monitoring the field of elec story in the making. Throughout most of committee responded to the call last year tronic publications and making appropri my years on the executive committee, we by president Russell Jones to make edu ate recommendations to the publications grappled with the question of how to cation a more central feature of the committee in that regard. Our journal position the ASPP in the arena of public Society's efforts. The wide-ranging series situation is solid, but "the times they are affairs. Successful ad hoc efforts focusing of events sponsored by the education com a-changin'" as a famous poet of my era on specific federal programs had been mittee at the 1995 annual meeting is a who couldn't sing a lick once said. It is organized by some ASPP members, but testament to how hard the committee imperative that in the future, as in the the Society itself had no real program in worked this past year. The education-re past, ASPP continue to change with those public affairs. Beginning three years ago, lated workshops were a huge success, if times. through the leadership of two past presi attendance and audience enthusiasm are I would also like to point out the many dents, Mary Helen Goldsmith and Ralph good indicators, and the education com strides that our executive director, Ken Quatrano, ASPP moved to establish a per mittee booth was always the focus of con Beam, has made in improving the admin manent staff position to organize and co siderable activity throughout the meeting. istrative structure at ASPP headquarters. ordinate ASPP's efforts in public affairs, In addition, I urge each of you to get in These advances include streamlining the and two years ago Brian Hyps was hired the habit of reading the education forum organizing and running of the annual as the first director of public affairs. section of the newsletter, which has grown meeting and instituting a specific posi ASPP's nascent public affairs efforts have considerably over the past year. Every tion at headquarters devoted to member been quite successful, and it is not hyper issue will contain articles that will be of services. Most important, while the num bole to state that ASPP presently wears a interest to anyone who teaches. As with ber of headquarters staff has increased by mantle of leadership in the area of public public affairs, I see our efforts in the edu only two in the two years Ken has been affairs among plant science societies. cation arena growing in the future, and if in his position, not only have services A glance at the public affairs section of you have an interest in participating, been enhanced, but also Significant reduc recent ASPP newsletters spells out our please notify Carl Pike, the incoming chair tions have been achieved in the total efforts in organizing a program that in of the education committee. administative costs associated with rWl cludes systematic e-mail updates on leg With ASPP's movement into areas out ning headquarters. These economies have islative events of importance to the soci side of its traditional involvement, it was allowed the Society over the past two ety, strategic phone calls and letters from not lost on those of us who worry about years to fully payoff the debt we carried home-district society members to key the Society's finances that these new en- September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 3
ASPP Officers and Staff deavors cost money and that we cannot vinced that science can get its fair share expect our already overtaxed libraries to of the pie, even in times of severe budget 1994-1995 Officers foot the bill through their subscription cutting, but only if we, and by "we" I President dollars for our efforts in public affairs or mean every member of this Society, rec Bob Buchanan (510-642-3590) education. Recognizing that dilemma, a ognize the need to make public outreach President-Elect proposal for a fundraising arm of the So and education an integral part of our pro Donald Ort (217-333-2093) Immediate Past President ciety, an ASPP education foundation, was fessional life, as important as making a James N. Siedow (919-684-6573) developed last year approved by the ex transgenic construct or running an en Secretary ecutive committee at the 1994 annual zyme assay in the lab. Mary Jo Vesper (513-229-2502) Treasurer meeting in Portland. In this year's ASPP We can neither hold to the arrogant Mark Jacobs (215-328-8039) election, ASPP members recognized the position that federal support of science is Chair, Board ofTntstees importance of the foundation to the fu some sort of protected birthright nor ex Larry N. Vanderhoef (916-752-2067) Chair, Publications Committee ture well-being of ASPP and overwhelm pect that others will carry the ball for us Stanley Roux (512-471-4238) ingly approved its. For that vote I sincerely in making the case to Congress and the Elected Members thank you. It represents the kind of for public. We all must get more involved in Kenneth Keegstra (517-353-2270) Elizabeth Vierling (602-621-1601) ward-looking attitude that will keep this educating the public at all levels- incul Wendy F. Boss (919-515-3496) Society vibrant. cating the importance of science gener Sectional Representatives The success of the ASPP education foun ally and plant science specifically from Midwestern Daniel R. Bush (217-333-6109) dation will depend on the efforts and gen kindergarten through postsecondary edu Nortlteastern erosity of many people, among whom will cation, educating the larger public to the Subhash Minocha (603-862-3840) be the members of ASPP. When your importance of science in an increasingly SOlithem - William H. Outlaw Jr. (904-644-4020) membership renewal form appears later technology-based world, and continuing Washington, DC this year, there will be a line allowing you to press our case with Congress through Jerry D. Cohen (301-504-5632) to earmark a specific contribution to the our public affairs efforts. Western Terri Lomax (503-737-5278) ASPP education foundation. All those who This brings me full circle. These are Headquarters Office contribute this year will be permanently both exciting and uncertain times for our 15501 Monona Drive recognized at ASPP headquarters as Society. We are embarking on a whole Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA founding donors to the ASPP education host of endeavors that, in total, should Phone: 301-251-0560 • Fax: 301-279-2996 Executive director, Kenneth M. Beam, exl. 15 foundation. Here at Duke, the develop help to solidify the position of plant sci (e-mail [email protected]) ment people tell me that successfully rais ences and ASPP into the next century. But Director offinance and administration, ing money from sources outside your or they cannot happen without your per Susan K. Chambers, exl. 11 (e-mail [email protected]) ganization requires a strong show of sup sonal involvement. The effort will be long Accountant, Thomas M. Dushney, ext. 10 port from members within the organiza term and will not be easy. When you are ([email protected]) tion. Therefore, when you receive your asked to serve the Society, serve, and Member services coordinator, Sharon Y. Kelly, ext. 29 membership renewal form, I ask you serve with the same passion you would (e-mail [email protected]) please to give and give generously so we bring to your research or your teaching. Receptionist, Estella Coley, ext. 22 can get the foundation off to a robust start This is an obligation that you cannot af (e-mail [email protected]) Mail room clerk, Marian Osuji, ext. 12 I want to end this message with one ford to abdicate; no less than the future (e-mail [email protected]) more pitch that will not be a new one to health of our profession lies in the bal Public affairs director, Brian M. Hyps, ext. 14 those of you who read this column regu ance. (e-mail [email protected]) Publications director, Jody Carlson, ext. 17 larly. We are currently witnessing noth Finally, I want to thank you for giving (e-mail [email protected]) ing less than a revolution in the federal me the opportunity to serve as ASPP Publications assistant, Sylvia Braxton, ext. 33 president. It has been a most enjoyable (e-mail [email protected]) government, one that has the potential to Managing editor, Plant Physiology, dramatically affect the practice of science and rewarding year, and I thank all of Deborah I. Weiner, exl. 18 in this country as we have come to know you who helped to make it so. Much has (e-mail [email protected]) been accomplished, but much remains to Managing editor, THE PLANT CELL, it. There is no question that tight funding Judith E. Grollman, ext 19 times for both federally supported research be done. I leave the presidency taking (e-mail [email protected]) grants and federal research institutions heart in the fact that the Society is in News and Reviews editor, THE PLANT CELL, Rebecca Chasan, ext. 21 will be with us for some years to come. excellent hands and, as a result, its future (e-mail [email protected]) How bad the situation will be and for how looks to be bright indeed. Senior production editor, Plant Physiology, long will depend a lot on how good a job James N. Siedow W. Mark Leader, exl. 23 (e-mail [email protected]) the scientific community does of getting ASPP President, 1994-1995 Production editor, Plant Physiol"!)l, across to Congress and the American pub Duke University Lauren Ransome, ext. 30 lic the importance of science (both basic [email protected] ([email protected]) Production editor, THE PLANT CELL, and applied) to the future economic health Catherine A. Balogh, ext. 16 and well-being of the country. I am con- (e-mail [email protected]) Manuscript manager, Annelle Kessler, exl. 20 (e-mail [email protected]) 'The ASPP NEWSL£1TER is dislTibuled to all ASPP members and is published six times annually, in odd-numberod month,. Manuscript assistant, Kimberly A. Davis, ext. 24 It is edited and prepared by ASPP staff from material provided by ASPP members and other interested parties. Copy deadline (e-mail [email protected]) is about the fifteenth day of the preceding even-numbered month (e.g., Dc:.:~mber 15 for January/February publication). Submit Manuscript assistant, Aphrodite Knoop, ext. 25 copy bye-mail whenever possible; submit all other copy by mail. not by fnx. Contact: Jody Carlson, Editor, ASPP NEWSLETTER, (e-mail [email protected]) 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA; e-mail [email protected]; telephone 301-251-0560, ext. 17. 4 ASPP Newsletter OBITUARIES protochlorophyll(ide) to regulate expres Plant Molecular Biology/editorial commit sion of the nuclear and chloroplast ge tee; Plant Science/chief editor, 12 years). nome. The structure of the Euglena pro He also served as executive committee Jerome A. Schiff plastid was determined through serial member, ASPP, and representative of the Jerome A. Schiff died in Weston, Mas sectioning and paramylon degradation Northeast Section for sixteen years (1972 sachusetts, on July 28, 1995, at the age of was found to be under photocontroL An 88) and received the Section's Distin 64, after a long illness. At the time of his exciting recent discovery was that, unlike guished Service Award in 1989. death he held the Abraham and Etta plants, Euglena chloroplast proteins such Jerry was a man full of life and curios Goodman Chair in Biology at Brandeis as LHCP II apoprotein accumulate in the ity until the very end. He was an avid University, Waltham, Massachusetts, and Golgi prior to their transport to the plas reader, a gourmande, and a lover of clas was chief editor of Plant Science. tid. sical music. He took particular pride and Dr. Schiff dedicated most of his research Dr. Schiff's other major thrust in re delight in playing his custom-made harp career to studying the fresh water flagel search, which began as a graduate stu sichord. In the days when the annual late, Euglena, and the green alga, ChIa dent at the University of Pennsylvania in meetings were still held on campuses, I rella, and made seminal contributions to 1956, was the study of assimilatory sul could always find Jerry between talks at our understanding of chloroplast devel fate reduction in eukaryotes using ChIa the chapel playing the organ or piano. He opment, organellar biology, and sulfur rella and Euglena. Here, the chief contri had a keen sense of humor and loved a metabolism in algae. His research career butions from his laboratory were the char lively discussion on a variety of subjects spanned almost four decades and in acterization of the initial steps in sulfate including academia, science, and politics. cluded over 165 publications and at least activation (formation of APS and the sub He was very generous and giving, and I 20 major reviews. sequent transfer of active sulfur); the dis know he will be missed by all who have Through a deep and sound knowledge covery of two ATP sulfurylases in Euglena known him. of the nutritional requirements and physi (one soluble and the other mitochondrial); Arthur Stem ological idiosyncrasies of Euglena and by the presence of a sulfate-metabolizing Department of Biology taking advantage of the reversible nature center outside of the inner mitochondrial University of Massachusetts, Amherst of its plastid development, Jerry Schiff membrane which can reduce sulfate to early on in his career established this sulfite and cysteine and the subsequent Joseph E. Varner organism as a model system to study conversion of cysteine to sulfolipid in the "Get curious. Pick a tough problem and chloroplast development in algae. He fully chloroplast; and more recently, the pres go to work." exploited the fact that under heterotrophic ence of a new class of sulfonic acid lipids Those were the final words Joe Varner conditions, chloroplasts in Euglena gracilis in the Euglena mitochondrion, the wrote in his last article, "101 Reasons to are gratuitous for cell viability and growth taurolipids which contain conjugates of Learn More Plant Biochemistry" (Plant and analyzed chloroplast development taurine. In recognition of his work in Cell [1995] 7: 795-796) before he died at with a multiplicity of clever, thoughtful, sulfur metabolism, the Proceedings of the the age of 73 on July 4,1995. Throughout and state-of-the-art approaches that in Sulfur Workshop at Haren, The Nether his career, Joe was curious about a vari cluded physiological, biochemical, mo lands, in 1989 were dedicated to him. ety of phenomena in plants, and his love lecular, photobiological, and ultrastruc Thus, through a series of brilliantly of science has been truly inspirational to tural studies. To acquire information from conceived and meticulously performed, his colleagues. Although Joe officially an organism that lacks sex, he investigated pacesetting studies, Dr. Schiff established retired in 1992 and was the Charles chloroplast biogenesis with wildtype and a remarkable record of achievement in Rebstock Professor emeritus at Washing UV- and streptomycin-induced mutants two important areas of algal research. The ton University, retirement did not seem under a variety of conditions for plastid driving force was always the biological to change his life style or his appetite for development such as, growing (au question, not the technique, and his find work. He continued to read and experi totrophic), gratuitous (heterotrophic), rest ings formed the basis for continuing stud ment daily at the bench even after he was ing (absence of cell division), and in ies in these fields up to the present. told that cancer had metastasized in his DCMU (absence of functional photosyn Jerry Schiff also distinguished himself body. thesis). in the service of our profession. He was Joseph E. Varner grew up on the fam Among the many important contribu a mentor to many successful students and ily farm in Ohio and attended Ohio State tions from his laboratory and collabora postdoctoral fellows and for several sum University for both college and graduate tions was the demonstration and charac mers taught courses in comparative biol training. As a chemistry major, his initial terization of Euglena chloroplast and mi ogy and biochemistry of algae at the desire was to "find out what things are tochondrial DNA, UV inactivation and Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods made of." However, while stationed in photoreactivation of chloroplast develop Hole, Massachusetts. He served as direc California with the Marine Corps during ment, the action spectrum for chloroPDyll tor of the Experimental Marine Botany World War II, he discovered a book on synthesis [protochlorophyll(ide)], and the Program, MBL, summers from 1974-79. physiological chemistry at the Santa Ana semiautonomous nature of chloroplast He also worked tirelessly for the benefit Public Library and eventually changed his development in this organism. Also, his of various journals (Plant Physialai{1J / as career goal to "find out how plants work." laboratory identified nuclear and chloro sistant and advisory editor; Developmen His Ph.D. thesis work was about "How a plast encoded proteins, and found a tal Biology/consultant editor; Plant Science CAM Plant Works" He continued to study cryptochrome-like blue absorbing pig Letters / editorial board and associate edi plant metabolism in the 1950s. As an as ment that acts synergistically with tor; Annual Review of Plant Physioloi{1J and sistant professor at Ohio State, he was September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 5 particularly interested in the biosynthesis (extensins). The molecular information he we are enormously privileged to have the of nitrogenous compounds such as uncovered has revealed important new opportunity to contribute to understand glutamine and asparagine and the in insights into the structure, function, and ing how plants work. Were he here, he volvement of molybdate, tungstate, and regulation of synthesis of this group of would tell us to be quick to laugh and to silicate in cellular metabolism. In his 1957 cell wall proteins. To investigate the tis be generous in spirit. He would tell us to article in Methods of Enzymology, he sum sue-specific expression of various cell wall find time to share ideas with colleagues marized the chromatographic analyses of proteins, he and his colleagues reinvented and encourage them in their work and to organic acids, which remained the stan and popularized the disarmingly simple be especially supportive of younger col dard technique in this field for many "tissue printing" technique, which can be leagues. But basically, he would tell us to years. learned by high school students, yet is so have fun doing science. In a symposium In the late 1950s, Joe turned his atten powerful and versatile that it has ap held in his honor in April 1993 at Wash tion to development and the role of me peared in numerous research articles. A ington University, he stressed the notion tabolism and enzymes in cotyledon se monograph devoted to tissue printing has that scientific inquiry is "brain candy." nescence, a process which he recognized been published, and the American Soci So it was for him, all his life. early on as a manifestation of pro ety of Plant Physiologists has held at least A great scientist has passed away, but grammed cell death. From there it was two workshops on this technique at re the legacy of Joe Varner lives on in the but a small step to understanding the role cent armual meetings. laboratories of the younger scientists he of hormones in regulating enzyme syn Joe was a strong believer in serving the inspired, in the classrooms of the high thesis. Using barley aleurone cells, Joe did scientific community. Besides being on school teachers he trained, in the tech two seminal experiments in the early various review panels at NSF, USDA, and niques he developed, and in the institu 1960s. He showed that the application of universities and foundations around the tions he helped to establish. a hormone (gibberellin) to a specific tis country, he was president of the Ameri Tuan-hua David Ho sue (the aleurone layer) caused the ap can Society of Plant Physiologists in 1969 Washington University, St. Louis, pearance of new enzymes (a-amylase and 70 and of the Society for Developmental Missouri others). By using the heavy isotope 180 Biology. He was an associate editor for and isopycnic equilibrium centrifugation, Plant Physiology from 1967 to 1983 and Maarten J. Chrispeels he and Phil Filner proved unequivocally was a strong supporter of the American University of California at San Diego that all of the a-amylase was synthesized Society of Plant Physiologists and its two de novo in gibberellin-stimulated barley journals. He was the chief scientist at the aleurone layers. This technique, pioneered USDA Competitive Research Grants Of The Alexander von Humboldt by Joe Varner, of "density-labeling" pro fice where he initiated new programs to Foundation Offers Opportunities for teins became a convenient tool to study encourage young scientists to compete for International Reseach Collaboration enzyme synthesis without going through research support. He was elected to the the laborious task of purifying the en National Academy of Sciences and to the The Alexander von Humboldt Founda zyme. These contributions have not only American Academy of Arts and Sciences. tion of Bonn, Germany, provides highly advanced our understanding of seedling The book Plant Biochemistry, which he qualified individuals of all nationalities physiology but also established cereal edited with James Bormer, has been used the opportunity to conduct research in aleurone tissue as one of the best systems as a popular reference and standard text Germany. The Foundation's North Ameri for investigating hormonal regulation of book for many years in many countries. can office in Washington, D.C., distrib gene expression and protein secretion in With the idea to renew interest in plant utes information on collaborative research plants. biochemistry and to train future genera support programs to North American Joe's work with the aleurone system tions of plant biochemists, he was instru scholars. started at the Research Institute for Ad mental in getting support for an annual Five different programs are available vanced Sciences (RIAS) in Baltimore, plant biochemistry training course, which through the von Humboldt Foundation, Maryland, and continued when he be has increased in popularity in the last four each with its own distinct qualifications. came a professor at the then Atomic En years. He was actively involved in plan The programs are: the Research Fellow ergy Commission Plant Research Labora ning a new plant biochemistry textbook ship Program, the Humboldt Research tory at Michigan State University. While until his untimely death. Award, the Feodor Lynen Fellowship at RIAS, he had strong interactions with Throughout his career, Joe Varner was Program, the Max-Planck Award, and the the photosynthesis group headed by an untiring champion of plant biology and Bundeskanzler Scholarship Program. Bessel Kok and contributed to experi was always looking at the horizon to see Qualified individuals are encouraged to ments designed to detect life in outer what the future might hold. To many apply for these programs. For more in space using a mass spectrometer. younger scientists, a discussion with Joe formation about the Alexander von In the 1970s and after moving to Wash was not just stimulating, it was also a Humboldt Foundation and its programs, ington University in St. Louis, Joe's inter phenomenon in learning and inspiration. please contact Dr. Bernard Stein, est shifted to the study of cell walls. He Besides the graduate students, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, followed an integrated approach to the postdoctoral fellows, and sabbatical visi 1350 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite problem, employing molecular, cellular, tors who received training in his labora 903, Washington, D.C. 20036; telephone biochemical, and physical techniques. His tory, Joe had a strong influence in the 202-296-2990, fax 202-833-8514. lab was the first to clone the genes en career of many others. coding hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins Joe's life instructs us to recognize that 6 ASPP Newsletter SECTION NEWS spring of 1996 at The Presidio in San for the Western Section of the ASPP Francisco, California. The Bay Area was enthusiastically endorsed by all Western Section meeting is being organized by Wilhelm present. On behalf of the WS-ASPP, Gruissem, University of California, Rolf Christoffersen (Cniversity of The Western Section of the ASPP is Berkeley, and will be a two-day California, Santa Barbara), a member of back in action after nearly decade of meeting. The high cost of travel and the organizing committee, has set up a dormancy! Thanks to the initiative of a hotel accommodations arising from the World Wide Web server to provide group of concerned ASPP members, large geographical distances of the information to the ASPP membership including past president Russell Jones, western region will make it difficult for about current activities of the Western president-elect Bob Buchanan, executive a Western Section meeting to compete Section and its members. The server director Ken Beam, and board of with other meetings available to will contain links to contact the WS trustees chair Larry Vanderhoef, the principal investigators, graduate ASPP Executive Committee, informa Western Section has been resurrected students, and postdoctoral research tion about future meetings of the with the appointment of Sharman associates. Therefore, the organizing Western Section, an e-mail and WWW O'0Ieill, Cniversity of California at committee was unanimous in its home page directory of WS-ASPP Davis, to the position of secretary enthusiasm to target the large popula members, job and graduate assistant treasurer and the formation of an tion base of plant biologists in the Bay ship/ fellowship position organizing committee to provide Area who could easily travel in one announcements,and other items of guidance to the Western Section day to such a meeting. If this first interest to plant biologists. The URL for concerning its role within the ASPP meeting is successful, we anticipate that this page is is http:// and its service to ASPP's members who future meetings would target other lifesci.lscf. ucsb.edu/WSASPP/ reside in the western region of the major regional centers in the west so if index.htm. For more information about United States. you cannot attend this first meeting, the WS-ASPP WWW Server, contact The western region comprises then there will be other opportunities in Rolf Christoffersen bye-mail at: approximately 1366 ASPP members, the future to attend another one in your [email protected]. and as such, is a major constituency area. ASPP headquarters will provide within the society. Because it has been support for the WS-ASPP 1996 meeting, WS-ASPP Membership Drive inactive for so long, the Western and travel awards will be available to If you live in the western regiun and Section has lacked full official represen those wishing to attend. Please stay haven't joined the WS-ASPP, then tation within the society. The organiz posted for additional details of the please do so the next time you pay ing committee met on July 21 at the spring 1996 meeting. your national dues. The WS-ASPP University of California at Davis to needs everybody to join in to make discuss the revival of the Western WS-ASPP General Election this revival a successful endeavor! For Section of ASPP and to make plans for The organizing committee also information about membership, please professional activities for the coming nominated a panel of Western Section contact Sharon Kelly at ASPP head year. This report briefly summarizes members to run for general election to quarters (e-mail [email protected], the outcome of that meeting. the Western Section executive commit telephone 301-251-0560, ext. 29). Not tee by mail ballot later this year. All only do we need your membership, but WS-ASPP '96 Meeting at The ASPP members who reside in the we also need your ideas, suggestions, Presidio, San Francisco, California western region will receive a ballot and and energy. Please contact me to give The organizing conuruttee recom are strongly encouraged to vote for your comments or to volunteer to mended that a Western Section ASPP their future elected officials. become involved in this revitalization meeting be held in conjunction with of the WS-ASPP. that of the Bay Area Plant Biology WS-ASPP on the Internet Sharman D. O'Neill Group (formerly called the Bay Area A proposal to create a World Wide university of California, Davis Plant Molecular Biology Group) in the Web server and electronic newsletter Secretary-Treasurer, WS-ASPP [email protected] September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 7 Public Affairs DOE Energy Biosciences Receives Strong Support in Congress Division Welcomes Grant Applications for FY 96
Both the U.s. House and the Senate ap current research initiatives involVing funds were added. ASPP constituent con proved spending $30.2 million for re bioremediation. Accordingly, the commit tacts helped clear up a misunderstanding search funded by the Department of En tee has included the budget request for with regard to environmental research ergy Division of Energy Biosciences in this program." conducted by the Division of Energy Bio Fiscal Year 1996. This amount exceeds the The House and Senate bills go to con sciences. President's request of $29.5 million by 2 ference with the almost certain prospect Despite the widely reported attempts percent and the Fiscal Year 1995 appro that the conference report will recom by some in Congress to abolish the De priation of $28.9 million by 4.5 percent. mend $30.2 million for fY 96 for the partment of Energy, the Division of En The Senate Appropriations Committee Division of Energy Biosciences. There is ergy Biosciences is emerging from the ap legislative report noted with regard to the still some question how the appropria propriations process with increased funds Division of Energy Biosciences program tions bills might be revised if the Presi to support vital basic energy research in that "there exists a substantial need to dent vetoes them. FY 96. It is important that potential grant discover and develop the appropriate A number of ASPP members made ees are not misled by earlier published technology to aid in environmental resto timely contacts with their members of reports warning of the possible elimina ration initiatives. The Committee believes Congress in support of the Division of tion of DOE. The Division of Energy that more basic research must be con Energy Biosciences. This played a major Biosciences will be in a position to fund ducted if the United States is to success role in reversing a proposed cut of more more new and continuing research in FY fully surmount the numerous environ than $3.2 million for Energy Biosciences 96 as a result of this appropriations pro mental cleanup and waste treatment chal in the FY 96 authorization that was ap cess. DOE will also be in existence next lenges the Nation currently faces. The proved earlier in the House Science Sub year and may well continue operations Committee notes the success the Division committee on Energy and Environment. in following years, having survived re of Energy Biosciences has had in support The reduced funds were subsequently re cent calIs for elimination. of other energy-related fields, such as stored to Energy Biosciences in action by energy production, and is encouraged by the full Science Committee and more
NATIONAL E-MAIL NETWORK OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS FORMS CORE OF ASPP GRASS ROOTS EFFORTS
In response to requests from ASPP cations on the Internet; the enhanced tions of their requests. president Jim Siedow and committee on capability of e-mail to transfer messages It is important to remember that there public affairs chair Ralph Quatrano, ASpp to other recipients and to documents on are winners and losers in virtually every members in fifty states have volunteered word processing; the national scope of vote taken in a legislature. Constituent con to be contacts for their campuses on the the membership with constituents of all tacts won't bring home a winner every ASPP public affairs contact network. Senators and many Congressmen; inter time. However, the failure to act enhances These members are receiving alerts from est in developments affecting key grants the prospect of losing on an issue in nearly ASPP on pending actions in Congress programs and the need to support the every instance. One of the easiest ways with updates on the issue and recom programs; familiarity with other grant for a Congressional office to explain an mended courses of action. The campus ees who are in the same Congressional unfavorable vote is to say it didn't know contacts are subsequently notifying their district and state. your concerns because it didn't hear from colleagues on campus of .the alert and The advantages of speed offered by the you. urging them to send letters, make calls e-mail-based network were evidenced The constituent actions of ASPP mem or, in some cases, schedule visits with when ASPP contacted members of the bers have also demonstrated the organi their local Congressional offices. network concerning a pending vote on zation of the ASPP grass roots effort to The contact network takes advantage the Farm Bill in the Senate Agriculture some key Congressional staff. Congres of some of the strengths in the ASPP Committee in July. ASPP campus con sional staff regularly need to identify or membership for grass roots actions such tacts were able to respond the same day ganized sources of support to help move as the existing capability of most ASPP of the alert and received favorable Com members for speedy electronic communi- mittee consideration of some major por- can"nued ,m page 8 8 ASPP Newsletter conhnued (rom page 7 fice expressed support for the competi Clutter, Cook, and Dilworth tive nature of the NRICGP and also dis Discuss Research Support in the legislation. Senate agriculture committee cussed the Agricultural Competitiveness New Era of BUdget Balancing staff for both Democrats and Republicans Initiative (ACl). (For more on the ACt have asked for ASPP to consider generat see story on page 9.) Mary Clutter, assistant director for the ing support on two subseguent issues as In addition to these examples, many NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences, a result of receiving earlier grass roots other members of the Appropriations Sub Jim Cook, chief scientist of the National contacts from ASPP members. committee on Agriculture, full Commit Research Initiative Competitive Grants The contact network primarily supports tee and full Senate, and severa] members Program (NRICGP) and Greg Dilworth plant science funding within USDA, NSF, of the House were contacted by ASPP of the DOE Division of Energy Biosciences and the DOE Division of Energy Bio members who are participating on the e explained Fiscal Year 1996 budget impli sciences. One example of the current ef mail based contact network. The effort is cations for their programs at the ASPP forts of the campus contacts relating to particularly important in view of the sen annual meeting in Charlotte. the National Research Initiative Competi sitive and potentially dangerous nature With Congress on a path to balance the tive Grants Program (NRICGP) in the of deliberations in Congress associated budget in seven federally supported re Fiscal Year 1996 spending bill illustrates with federal budget balancing efforts. search programs are facing prospects their activities. Bernard Rubinstein of the University of ranging from small growth to small or The NRICGP is a freguent target of Massachusetts and William Outlaw of large reductions to actual elimination. some members of Congress looking for Florida State University were among the Major programs supported by ASPP available funds for special research earliest ASPP members to extend alerts USDA research, the National Science projects (sometimes referred to as "pork") to campus and regional colleagues. Lou Foundation and DOE Division of Energy in their home districts. As a result of a Sherman of Purdue University, in addi Biosciences-fit into the small cuts confusing series of events, many Congres tion to organizing alerts and meeting with through small growth categories. The sional offices believe that the NRlCGP did his members of Congress and their staff, National Research Initiative Competitive not receive any reduction in the House has also recently succeeded in getting a Grants Program (NRICGP) comes out of passed bill. ASPP members have been ex letter to the editor published in a local the House down nearly five percent from plaining to Congressional offices that newspaper crediting two members of Fiscal Year 1995 if you don't count the there is actually a reduction of nearly five Congress from Indiana who played key additional $2.5 million freed up for percent for the NRICGP in the House roles in support of plant science research. NRICGP related to the United States-Is passed bill. Some staff close to the bill Congressional offices read the editorial rael Binational Agricultural Research and predict that the Senate may have less pages in local newspapers and are de Development Program. (BARD is back in funds available for research than the lighted to see letters of support, especially ARS for FY 96 in the House Bill.) If you House. This increases the need for key in view of the freguently negative nature count that $2.5 million, funding for Senate offices to have a clear understand of news reporting. Public demonstrations NRICGP is down slightly more than 2 ing of the House cuts in research and of of support such as this also enhance the percent from FY 95. the importance of NRICGP funding to continuing relationship between the con ARS research funding is down about their states. stituent and member of Congress. One of one percent. NSF research appropriations The Senate Appropriations Subcommit the useful public affairs activities that is are down about one percent. The DOE tee on Agriculture will take the first ac most neglected by many interest groups Division of Energy Biosciences is up 4.5 tion on the House-passed bill. ASPP con is the need to express appreciation to percent over FY 95-which is higher than tact Dawn Luthe of Mississippi State Uni Congressional offices that offered assis the President's reguest. Of these pro versity sent memos to her colleagues list tance. grams, only DOE's spending bill has been ing the amount of funds that Mississippi Jim Berry of the State University of New approved by both the House and the has received from the NRICGP and ex York at Buffalo as a different Congress Senate, with Senate action pending on the plaining the need to contact Sen. Thad man for his residence and campus and other programs. These programs fared Cochran (R-MS), chairman of the Senate after sending letters, he is scheduling lo better than many other research programs Appropriations Subcommittee on Agricul cal meetings with both offices. There are because of as the support of the majority ture. Dr. Luthe also succeeded in conduct more examples of important constituent in Congress for basic research and timely ing a meeting with Sen. Cochran's staff contacts made by ASPP members than constituent support by ASPP members. to explain the issue. space limitations for this story would al-· Dr. Clutter pointed out that there would Another key member of the Appropria low to report. Some representative ex be ample funds available for research even tions Subcommittee on Agriculture is Sen. amples will continue to be reported in in this budget balancing environment if Mitch McConnell (R-KY). ASPP contact future issues of the newsletter. there was some change in priorities with Joe Chappell of the University of Ken Constituent activities such as letters, relation to defense spending. Pending tucky organized communications on cam calls, and visits to Congressional offices authorization legislation for the defense pus to Sen. McConnell. Dr. Chappell, are a key foundation of public affairs ef budget (S. 1026) provides $7 billion more along with ASPP member colleagues forts. Dr. Siedow and Dr. Quatrano ex than the President's reguest. Congress George Wagner and Robert Houtz, also pressed their appreciation to ASPP cam might approve spending for a higher scheduled and conducted a meeting with pus contacts for taking a lead in this ef number of costly B-2 stealth bombers than Sen. McConnell's staff. McConnell's of- fort. the President reguested. September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 9
NRICGP fW1ds are the target of active Despite the calls by several members seven-year journey to a balanced budget. campaigns by interest groups that want of Congress to terminate DOE, Dilworth Drs. Dilworth, Cook and Clutter highly money redirected: to organic farmers, to explained that the DOE Division of En commended ASPP members involved in on-farm research that helps only the small ergy Biosciences and most of the rest of public affairs efforts to support research family farm, to special research (pork) DOE will be very much alive and doing programs. Dr. Cook said no society does projects at some universities that have business in FY 96. The increase for the more to support the NRICGP than ASPP. close relations to members of Congress, DOE Division of Energy Biosciences was Dr. Ralph Quatrano, chair of the ASPP to more economic and social work stud among the best that research programs Committee on Public Affairs, coordinated ies, and to a number of other areas. Dr. received in this first year of the planned this program at the annual meeting. Cook explained some of the challenges facing the NRlCGP in this budget. Three categories within NRlCGP: wa ter quality, integrated pest management and pesticide impact assessment; lost fW1ding in the House-passed FY 96 spend ing bill. These programs were also placed at risk by the USDA budget proposal to Congress to zero out fW1ding for these three categories as specific line items and to fund them out of hoped-for exception ally large increases in the remaining NRICGP categories. This would have given the NRlCGP more desired flexibil ity in spending, but with the constricted budget, the very large requested increases for remaining categories did not occur. There was a small increase for plant sys tems in the House bill. The House Appropriations Committee legislative report accompanying the FY 96 spending bill shows an increase for the NRICGP of more than $3 million, but that does not take into account losses for wa ter quality, pesticide impact assessment, Jim Cook (left). chief scientist of NRICGP. Mary Clutter, assistant director for NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences, and Greg Dilworth (right), representative of DOE's and integrated pest management. Division of Energy Biosciences are shown with Ralph Quatrano, chair of ASPP's commit tee on public affairs, at the 1995 annual meeting. New Competitive Research Program for USDA Proposed
The Agricultural Competitiveness Ini cretionary funds for agricultural research petitive in the international marketplace. tiative (ACI), a legislative proposal, would in the federal budget. The staff draft of Intensifying demands on the u.s. agricul authorize up to $500 million a year for a the legislation explains that the"ACI will tural system will dramatically increase the new competitive grant program for re bring a better balance to the total research need for new knowledge and technology search, extension and education. and extension portfolio, addressing those to allow the u.s. to sharpen its competi FW1ding would be awarded competi areas in which current fW1ding relative tive edge in the world market and con tively based on the relevance and quality to user-driven national priorities is inad tinue to produce and process nutritious, of proposals. Scientists and researchers in equate." acceptable and safe products that meet colleges and W1iversities, the state agri The ACI would be administered by environmental and consumer standards. culture experiment stations, the coopera USDA's Cooperative State Research, Edu The trend associated with GATT and tive extension service, the federal govern ca tion and Extension Service (CSREES) NAFTA of continued reductions in fed ment, and the private sector would be with funds awarded competitively based eral commodity programs underlines the eligible to compete for funding. A 50 per on relevance and quality of proposals. importance of sustaining the technologi cent match would be required for applied The National Research Initiative Competi cal base for U.s. agriculture to ddjust to a research that is commodity specific and tive Grants Program is also administered global free market economy." not national in scope. within CSREES. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), chairman Federal fW1ding for this initiative would Reco~ition of the new trade environ of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said come from the Commodity Credit Corpo ment was cited by supporters of the ACI. he would like to offer the ACI as part of ration with an offset from commodity The Senate Agriculture Committee staff the Farm Bill when the committee consid programs. This would mark a departure draft notes that, "The GATT and NAFTA ers commodities provisions. It is not Jrom using the traditional source of dis- call for U.s. agriculture to be more com- continued on page 10 10 ASPP Newsletter continued from page 9 known, but the first year proposed au culated its percentage share of lost com Committee on Public Affairs Chair thorization may range from $150 million modity support to the ACI and told Ralph Quatrano said the ACI represents to $500 million in the proposal. The draft Stauber it wanted the same proportionate a tremendous opportunity for a potential legislation for ACI resembles the proposal investment in research on its crops by the new major source of support for needed that earlier created the NRICGP. NRICGP ACI. Some other USDA officials who are plant science research, but may carry with staff would likely be asked to administer long-time supporters of competitive re it some risks to maintaining proper pri the ACI if the ACI was enacted. search, said the ACI could bring a much orities for basic research. He said plant Congressman Cal Dooley (D-CA) noted, needed infusion of funds for basic and scientists need to be involved in support "While our present policy focuses prima applied agricultural research if properly ing this new initiative for competitive ag rily on price supports, research can sig implemented. ricultural research. This involvement will nificantly increase crop yields as well as The majority staffs on the Senate and facilitate efforts to seek assurance of valid lower production costs, which is just as House Agriculture Committees said their guidelines and priorities for administra important to farm income as commodity members differ as to when they would tion of the program, Quatrano added. prices." like to see the ACI enacted. Senator Lugar ASPP has discussed the ACI proposal is seeking enactment this year with the with staff of Senate and House agricul Farm Bill reauthorization. House Agricul ture committees, and USDA staff includ ture Committee Chair Pat Roberts (R-KS) ing Under Secretary for Research, Educa does not want a multi-year research re tion and Economics Karl Stauber to learn authorization enacted this year because some possible ramifications of the pro he feels there are other sections of the posal. Stauber told ASPP that he thinks Farm Bill which will require considerable the Department will not formally support deliberation. Roberts would like to have or oppose the ACI legislation. Stauber said a short-term reauthorization of research risks of the proposal include possible sub in the Farm Bill this year and compre traction from an existing source of fed hensive review of research issues early eral agricultural research support if there next year for a multi-year reauthorization. is this new source of commodity funds Although the controversy over using for agricultural research through the ACI. commodity funds for support of research Stauber cautioned that commodity and the differences of view as to when groups would want a greater say in how the ACI should be enacted may indicate Senate Agriculture Committee Chair these funds are spent on ACI-supported that the proposal has some obstacles in Richard Lugar (R-IN) would like to spend research, and there may be a predomi the prospect for enactment, it is still be an additional $500 milliion a year on nant emphasis on doing applied research. lieved that the ACI has a realistic chance competitive agricultural research with the One commodity group had already cal- for enactment this year. use of commodity support funds.
"Hot Papers" in Plant 1077-1084), described the transformation Hypocotyl Mutant Lacks a Light-Stable PHYB-like Phytochrome, 1992, 4: 241-251). Physiology THE of wheat by a rapid, reliable method that and uses no long-term tissue culture. This ar PLANT CELL ticle was also featured on the cover of the journal and later on a Plant Physiology The Scientist, an independent biweekly poster. The second paper identified by The newspaper, occasionally features inter Scientist, entitled Isolation and Initial views with the authors of what the news Characterization of Arabidopsis Mutants paper calls "hot papers," papers that have That Are Deficient in Phytochrome A, was received an unusually high number of from the laboratory of Joanne Chory citations in the two years subsequent to (Nagatani et al, 1993, 102: 269-277). These their publication. Hot papers usually re phyA mutants have allowed Chory's and port what other practitioners of the par others' research groups to determine the ticular branch of science in question con role of phytochrome A in plant develop sider to be breakthrough research. Both ment. For her work on phytochrome sig ASPP journals, Plant Physiology and THE nal transduction, Joanne Chory was given PLANT CELL, have had hot papers singled ASPP's 1995 Charles Albert Shull Award out and honored in recent years. Two of (see page 16). the most recent were published in Plant Last February, a hot paper from 1HE Physiolo~I PLANT CELL was featured that also dealt The first paper, by Weeks et al. (Rapid with phytochrome, in this case, phyB and Production of Multiple Independent Lines its role in the shade-avoidance reaction Joanne Chary, Salk Institute of Biological of Fertile Transgenic Wheat, 1993, 102: (Lopez-Juez et a!., The Cucumber Long Studies, La Jolla, California September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 11 ASPP Education Forum
Edited by Robert Wise, Deportment of valid and vigorously pursued by Laboratory Development component of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, scientists seeking to enter the job IU provides funds for the intellectual Oshkosh, WI 54901, e-mail market. lt was requested by partici [email protected] effort and planning needed to develop pants that a similar wurkshop be held national models for undergraduate next year at the annual meetings in San Career Options Workshop laboratory instruction. Antonio, Texas. Workshops and short courses are a Well Attended FollOWing the workshop, Michael major activity funded by Undergradu With over 150 attendees, the career Burnet (INRA, Versailles, France) met ate Faculty Enhancement (UFE) grants. options workshop, which was orga with interested students and postdocs These programs, which should include nized by Dale Blevins, was one of the for an informal discussion of the follow-up activities, help faculty keep better attended events (next to the formation of a group within the ASPP abreast of new techniques and develop mixer) at the ASPP national meetings to advance the needs of "students and ments. Training in innovative teaching in Charlotte. Clearly, finding a job is a those in danger of becoming a methods can also be an important major concern of a significant number postdoc" For input or questions, component. Grants are made to of our members. Michael may be reached at professional societies as well as colleges The workshop consisted- of a panel of
continued from page 13 NSF Review to Explore How Current better prepared teachers and scientists Innovations Can Reinforce Under and engineers, and broader participa committee as they prepare reports and graduate Science Education tiun in SME&T careers. According to recommendations on the status and The National Science Foundation Robert Watson, ctirector of NSF's improvement of undergraduate SME&T (NSF) has begun a year-long review of Division of Undergraduate Education, education. The symposia will also undergraduate science, mathematics, projects supported by the NSF may provide valuable input to a new NSF engineering and technology (SME&T) focus on a single discipline, engineering study that will produce a set of education in the United States. Accord or chemistry, for example; reach across recommendations for improving ing to Dr. Luther S. Williams, NSF's disciplines, joining physics and biology undergraduate education called "Re assistant director for Education and for example; or be targeted on a special view of Undergraduate Education" (see Human Resources, the review is group of students, such as future following article). Federal spending on expected to provide guidance as to how elementary and secondary school undergraduate education is likely to be large-scale changes in undergraduate teachers. "The ultimate goals of very strongly influenced by the final education could be designed to im impruved undergraduate SME&T NSF report; therefore, the NRC and prove quality and how NSF can most education include citizens who are NSF are working closely together on effectively capitalize on recent invest empowered to be full participants in a these national projects. ments made in undergraduate science scientific and technological society, and The four one-day symposia are education. "NSF undergraduate a technically well-prepared workforce scheduled for the following locations programs have supported innovative that can both participate and lead in a and dates: • Monday, October 16, 1995 projects to improve instruction at many high performance workplace employing University of Michigan, Ann Arbor two-year and four- year colleges and advanced technologies," said Watson. • Friday, November 10, 1995 GTE universities. We hope to find out how Note: The preceding article is from a Laboratories Conference Center, Boston, the results of these and of similar press release received directly from the Massachusetts projects funded by uthers can be used :--JSF. Press releases and other informa • Friday, January 19, 1996 Johnson as the basis for larger-scale systemic tion are now available electronically on Space Center, Houston, Texas change," Williams said. The review, tu NSFnews, a free service available via • Thursday, February 1, 1996 Pomona be carried out by the Advisory Cum the Internet. Tu subscribe to NSFnews College, Claremont, California mittee of NSF's Directorate for Educa send an e-mail message to Following the regional symposia, the tion and Human Resources, will consult [email protected]. In the body of the 0JRC (with funding from the E on widely with educators, students, and message (not the subject line) type the Education Foundation) will then employers to provide analysis on the words
Article Available on Flower Genetics Erratum crosslinker). Then place the pots under Fred Lehle (LehJe Seeds, Round Part Two, Step 5 from Mark the white lights or in the gold-light Rock, Texas) pointed out to the Plant Shotwell's UV light lab that appeared chamber as appropriate. IMPORTANT: Ed newsgroup the recent publication of in the July/August issue of the Educa Remember which pots have white an article entitled "A Garden of tion Forum was inadvertently omitted. labels and which have yellow labels, Mutants" by Carol Fletcher in the It should read: since in the dim yellow light they will August issue of Discover magazine (p. "5. Place three 100-white pots and three all look yellow. VERY IMPORTANT: 48-53). Dr. Lehle notes that there has 100-gold pots in the UV crosslinker. Protect the 100-gold pots from white been a great deal of progress in the last Turn off the room lights and tum on light as much as possible so that few years in flower genetics and this the yellow light. Expose the plants to photoreactivation cannot occur." article provides a concise and easily 100 J/ m2 of ultraviolet light. (Note: J/ understandable, non-technical overview. m2 = xlOOuJ/cm2, the units on the
Plant Physiology Editorial Board Changes
At its annual meeting in Charlotte, interaction was ably handled by Charlie Leon Kochian (Cornell University) North Carolina, the editorial board of West for the past three years, and now adds needed strength in one of Plant Plant Physiology welcomed 14 new editors. Joe Chappell (U. of Kentucky) will take Physiology's traditional fields: mineral The normal term for associate editors and over his duties. Ken Cline (U. of Florida) nutrition. This field has seen tremendous monitoring editors on the board is three will be the resident chloroplast cell/mo growth with development of patch clamp years, renewable only once. Turnover lecular biologist, while Mark Estelle (u. ing techniques and the cloning of ion ensures that the board is refreshed with of Indiana), known for his work on auxin channels and transporters (our other ex new expertise to keep pace with changes resistant mutants uf Arabidopsis, will pert in this area is Sally Assmann). in plant biology research. Turnover also monitor submissions in the fields of aux Anthony Moore (University of Sussex) ensures that the important service that ins, Arabidopsis mutants, and plant replaces the irreplaceable Jim Siedow in editors contribute to our professional com growth. Also in the area of hormones and the field of mitochondrial biochemistry munity does not become overly burden plant growth, David Ho (Washington (we will continue to send Jim a large some to their own research and scholarly University) has expertise in the hurmonal number of papers for ad hoc review so activities. For this very reason a number regulation of gene expression both at the he may not notice the difference). Tho of excellent editors retired after their first cellular level and the gene level. mas Okita (Washington State U.) and three year period. Steven Huber (L'SDA-ARS, Raleigh, Michael Salvucci (USDA-ARS Phoenix, June Nasrallah (Cornell University), North Carolina) is an enzymologist who Arizona) are enzymologists/biochemists who was a monitoring editor for three is particularly interested in the regulation interested in the regulation of metabolism. years, has taken over as associate editor of enzyme activity by phosphorylation Together they follow the carbon flow from for plant development and growth regu and cytosolic carbohydrJte metabolism. carbon dioxide to starch. Karl Oparka lation. Steve Kay (u. of Virginia) will help fill (Scottish Crop Research Institute, Among monitoring editors, Kent the void in photobiology left by the de Invergowrie) replaces Bob Turgeon as the Bradford (UC Davis) replaces Derek parture of Joanne Chory, and in addition resident expert in long distance transpurt Bewley in the area of seed physiology, he brings an exciting new dimension: through the phloem and partitioning of and Vicki Chandler (U. of Oregon) will biological timing. Harry Klee (U. of photosynthate. handle submissions dealing with genet Florida), who recently moved from Maarten Chrispeels ics and molecular biology. Monsanto, will handle papers in biotech Editor, Plant Physiology The biochemistry of metabolites in nology, cell and tissue culture, and ethyl University of California, San Diego volved in plant-pathogen and plant-insect ene physiology.
Coming Soon 1996 MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL FORMS
Renew early to guarantee your listing in the membership directory and to avoid any interruption in your journal subscriptions. 16 ASPP Newsletter ASPP AWARDS Following are excerpts of the citations that were read at the awards ceremony at the 1995 ASPP annual meeting. In addition to these awards, a special service award was made to Dr. Robert Rabson to recognize his efforts on behalf of plant science while he headed the DOE Division of Energy Biosciences and through out his career.
Charles Albert Shull Award: Joanne Chory
The Charles Albert Shull Award was initi ated in 1971 by the Society to honor Dr. Charles A. Shull, who was largely respon sible for the founding and early growth of Left to right: Charles Arntzen. speaker at awards ceremony; Eli Romanoff. Gude Award; the Society. The award is made biennially by James Siedow. ASPP president; Jan Graebe. corresponding member; Elliot Meyerowitz. the Society for outstanding investigations in Martin Gibbs Medal: Robert Robson. special service award; Joanne Chory. Shull Award; the field of plant physiology by a scientist Carl Pike. Teaching Award. Not pictured: Roland Douce. Corresponding Member. who resides in North America, and who is less than 40 years old or within 10 years of the syndrome of plant responses to is an expert researcher and an outstand having earned the doctoral degree. changes in the light environment. ing spokesman for the plant sciences. He Individually, each of these studies is a well deserves the Martin Gibbs Medal. Joanne Chory is awarded the 1995 major contribution to our field. Collec Charles Albert Shull Award of the Ameri tively they represent a tour-de-force that Charles Reid Barnes can Society of Plant Physiologists for her is changing how scientists think about and Life Membership Award: highly original and innovative research study physiological signaling in plants. Jack Dainty that has started to reveal the molecular Joanne Chory is a worthy recipient of the architecture of the signal pathways be 1995 Charles Albert Shull Award. The Barnes award is the oldest ASPP award. tween light perception and downstream It was established in 1925 in honor of Dr. photomorphogenic responses such as Charles Reid Barnes, the first professor of gene activation, leaf development, and Martin Gibbs Medal: plant physiology at the University of Chicago. growth control. It is an annual award of life membership in Elliot Meyerowitz In her early work, Chory isolated and the Society given to recognize the awardee characterized novel mutations that re for meritorious work in plant physiology. This award, initiated in 1993, honors Martin markably show key aspects of the light Gibbs for his outstanding service to the So Dr. Jack Dainty, plant biophysicist, grown, de-etiolated phenutype in the ciety as editor-in-chief of Plant Physiology physics and mathematics to plant physi dark. These studies have had a major from 1963 to 1993. This award is to be given impact on the whole field and led to the biennially to an individual who has pio ology. With his first Ph.D student, Enid isolation of new classes of nuclear regu neered advances that have served to estab MacRobbie, he showed the importance of latory genes, counterparts of which are lish new directions of investigation in the electrical potentials for ion transport in now being found in animals. Chory sub plant sciences. plant cells. This led to collaborative stud sequently pioneered the use of promoter ies with A. B. Hope on water permeabil selectable marker gene fusions to gener The Martin Gibbs Medal is awarded to ity and ion exchange properties of plant ate transgenic plants as targets for mu Professor Elliot Meyerowitz, who has cells and to investigations of fixed charges tagenesis, thereby identifying novel ge made several original contributions that on cell walls. He introduced to plant netic loci that regulate downstream come have established new directions of inves physiologists the importance of unstirred ponents in photomorphogenic signal tigation in the plant sciences. In particu layers of potentially rate-limiting barriers pathways and also clearly demonstrating lar, he has championed the use of in transport processes. a signal pathway from the chloroplast to Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system for Dainty served as associate editor for the the nucleus. In addition, Chory has char molecular genetic research, and he has journal Plant Physiology from 1977 to 1980 acterized the contribution of inclividual used Arabidopsis to reveal many impor and again from 1983 to 1987. He is a phytochrome genes to specific aspects of tant aspects of floral morphogenesis. He Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 17 and the Royal Society of Canada and has. of outstanding service to the science of plant characterization of the lipid and protein received the Gold Medal of the Canadian physiology components of the chloroplast envelopes Society of Plant Physiologists. and transport processes across them. He For his meritorious work in plant en The triennial Adolph E. Gude award has also studied the soluble enzymes lightened by his work, we select Jack for outstanding service to the science of within non-photosynthetic plastids. Dr. Dainty as the recipient of the 1995 Charles plant physiology is given to Dr. Eli Douce and his coworkers have made a Reid Barnes Life Membership Award. Romanoff. Dr. Romanoff served as Direc nwnber of significant contributions to the biophysics, for his dedication to the idea tor of the Metabolic Biology program at understanding of plant mitochondrial the National Science Foundation from the that plant physics and plant physiology metabolism, including work on the trans mid 1960s to the mid 1980s. He champi go together, for those physicists that he port of coenzymes into plant mitochon oned funding for plant science beginning encouraged to explore plant phYSiology, dria and work on mitochondrial enzymes at a time when only very few in the grant and for the many plant physiologists who involved in the conversion of glycine to 109 agencies were sympathetic towards have been serine during photorespiration in leaves. funding for the plant sciences. It was Dr. Recent work on plastid enzymes by Dr. Romanoff's major achievement that plants Excellence in Teaching Award: Douce and his coworkers has lead to the were given a f FUTURE ASPP ANNUAL MEETING SITES 1996 JANUARY 1996: San Antonio, Texas January 18-20, 1996 Saturday, July 27, through 18th Annual Symposium in Plant Physiology Wednesday, July 31 How Plants Use the Light Environment to Regulate Growth and Development University of California, Riverside 1997: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Organized by Winslow Briggs, Carnegie Saturday, August 2, through Institution of Washington; Elaine Tobin, University of California, Los Angeles; and Wednesday, August 6 Robert L. Heath, University of California, Riverside. Sessions include properties of the developmentally impurtant photoreceptors (W. Briggs, P-S. Song, A. Cashmore, P. Quail); light regulation of gene expression (E. Tobin, E. Schaefer, R. Last, W. Thomp son); signal transduction (G. Neuhas, R. available by contacting: Secretariat: Zhi-Fang OCTOBER Crain, A. Batschauer, W. Boss); use uf Lin, South China Institute of Botany, mutants to understand light-regulated Academia Sinica, Guangzhou 510650, China; October 25-29 growth and development (R. Hangarter, X. fax 86 20-7701031; or Clanton Black, 11th Annual Meeting W. Deng, J. Chory, E. Liscum, TIl); and Biochemistry ilnd Molecular Biology, American Society for Gravitational and whole plant responses to the light environ University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 Space iology ment (A. Teramura, G. Whitelam, S. Kay). USA, fax 706-542-1738, e-mail Crystal City, Virginia [he symposium is limited to 175 persons. A For further information contact: Donald R. [email protected]. poster session will be held on Thursday Beem, American Institute for Biological evening, January 18. A registration fee of Sciences, Special Science Programs, 730 11 th November 5-9 $65 (non-students) and $25 (students) will Street NW, Washington, DC 20001; tele First Joint USA-Mexico Symposium cover registration and a luncheon on phone 202-628-1500. See July/August 1995 Agrobiology, Molecular Physiology, and Saturday, January 20. For further informa ASPP Newsletter for details. Biotechnology of Crops Important to tion and an application form, contact: Cindi Mexican Agriculture McKernan, Department of Botany and Plant October 25-November 1 Cocoyoc, Mexico Sciences-On, University of California, For more information and registration Short Course: Optical Microscopy and Riverside, CA 92521-0124, telephone 909 packets (hotel reservation forms, abstract Imaging in the Biomedical Sciences 787-3423, fax 909-787-4437. Marine Biological Laboratory forms, etc.) send your complete mailing Woods Hole, Massachusetts address to Maarten Chrispeels January 25-27, 1996 For forms and information contact: Admis ([email protected]) or Alejandra Third DBMS Workshop sions Coordinator, Marine Biological Covarrubias Plant Cell Metabolism and Its Regulation Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543; ([email protected]). See Villard de Lans, France telephone 508-289-7401; e-mail March/April 1995 ASPP Newsletter for For information, contact: Dr. Jacques Joyard, details. [email protected]. See July/ August 1995 DBMS/PCV, Grenoble, France, telephone 33 ASPP Newsletter for details. 76-88-41-84, fax 33-76-88-50-91. See July / November 26-December 1 August 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. Sustainable Agriculture for the Tropics: NOVEMBER The Role of Biological Nitrogen Fixation Angro dos Reis, Brazil November 2-5, 1995 Information and registration forms can be International Symposium on obtained from Dr. Avilio A. Franco, Photoinhibition Photoproteetion and EMBRAPACNPAB, Km 47, Estrada Antiga Crop Productivity in Guangzhou Rio San Paulo, Seropedica, Itaguai, 23851 The People's Republic of China 970, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. See July/ August Full information and application forms 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. 20 ASPP Newsletter MARCH Keystone Symposia conference will auto Comstock (Iowa State), will be joined by matically be sent application information. internationally recognized experts in ethics March 10-16, 1996 Othen-vise, contact Keystone Symposia, to lecture on moral theory and to lead Seventh International Symposium on Drawer 1630, Silverthorne, CO 80498; discussion sessions of pedagogy. The Flower Bulbs telephone 303-262-1230, fax 303-262-1525. institute provides case studies, classroom Herzliya, Israel exercises, bibliographies, and other practical Convener of the meeting is A. H. Halev)'. strategies used successfully by life scientists For more information, contact Ortra Ltd., APRIL to introduce ethics into their classes. Possible P.O.B. 50432, Tel Aviv, 61500, Israel,; fax issues to be covered: intellectual property 972-3-5174433. See January /February 1995 April 11-13, 1996 rights; honesty and integrity in scientific ASPP Newsletter for details. New Biological Approaches to Understand research; envirorunental ethics and intrinsic and Improve Winter Survival of Plants value of ecosystems; labeling of genetically March 10-16, 1996 Arhus, Denmark engineered foods; animal welfare and rights; Third International Workshop on Contact: Bjarni L. Gudleifsson, RALA justice between developed and developing Basic and Applied Research in Modruvellir, 601 Akureyri, Iceland; tele economies risk assessment and the politics Plasmodesmal Biology phone: + 354-6-24477, fax + 354-6-27144. See of uncertainty; feminist moral theory; the Zichron Yakov, Israel January/February 1995 ASPP Newsletter for place of human beings in nature. Stipend: For further information contact one of the details. All participants will receive $250. Require folJowing: Bernard Epel, Division of Plant ments: Applicants must be tenured or Biology MRC7, The Scripps Research April 12-19, 1996 tenure-track life science faculty members. Institute, 10666 North Torrey Pines, La Jolla, 9th International Congress on The institutions of out-of-town applicants Ca 92037; fax 619-554-6330; e-mail Soilless Culture must commit funds to cover applicant's [email protected]; Shmulik Wolf, Depart St. HeIier, Jersey, Channel Islands travel, lodging, and meals. Applicants ment of Vegetable Crops, The Faculty of Write to Secretariat of ISOSC, P.O. Box 52, promise to introduce the equivalent of at Agriculture, Hebrew University, Rehovot, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands. See least one hour-long discussion of ethics into Israel 76100; fax 972-8- 468-265, e-mail January/February 1995 ASPP Newsletter for each semester-length class they teach. The [email protected]; William Lucas, Section details. deadline for applications is March 1, 1996. of Plant Biology, University of California, Contact: Professor Fred Gifford, Philosophy Davis, California 95616; fax 916-752-5410, e April 15-17, 1996 Department, 503 S. Kedzie Hall, Michigan mail [email protected]. See March/April Starch: Structure and Function State University, East Lansing, MI 48824; 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. Cambridge, UK telephone 517-355-4490, e-mail Contact: Mrs. M. A. Staff, Cavendish [email protected]. March 15-21, 1996 Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge, Keystone Symposium CB3 OHE, United Kingdom; telephone 44 May 9-19, 1996 The Extracellular Matrix of Plants: 1223-3370007, fax 44-1223-337000. See Eighth NATO Advanced Study Institute Molecular, Cellular and March/April 1995 ASPP Newsletter for Course: Signals and Developmental Biology details. Pathways in Plants Tamarron, Colorado Maratea, Italy, Organizers: Andrew Staehelin, Michael April 17-20, 1996 Pending NATO approval. Organizers: Hahn, Norman Lewis, Andrew Mort, Keith 15th Annual Missouri Symposium Natasha Raikhel, Michigan State UniverSity, Roberts. Keynote address: Structure and Protein Phosphorylation in Plants East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Rob Last Function of Glycosyltransferases, J. Lowe; Columbia, Missouri Boyce, Thompson, Ithaca, New York, USA; Banquet address: Cell WalJ Research-Past Submit abstracts or write for registration Fiorella Lo Schiavo, University of Padova, and Future, P. Albersheim. Topics/speakers: material to Missouri SympOSium, 117 Padova, Italy; and Giorgio Morelli, National Structure and biochemistry of cell wall Schweitzer Hall, University fo Missouri, Institute of Nutrition, Rome, Italy. More polysaccharides and glycoproteins/ A. Columbia, MO 65211; fax 314-882-5635. See information available at a later date. Darvill, A. Mort, M. Kieliszewski, TBA; July/August 1995 ASPP Newsletter for Biochemistry, molecular biology and details. May 12-17, 1996 biosynthesis of Iignin/N. Lewis, J. Dean, A. VIII Congress Boudet; Biosynthesis l: Secretory pathway International Society of Citriculture and synthesis of glycoproteins/A. Staehelin, MAY Sun City Resort, South Africa S. Waffenschmidt, TBA; Biosynthesis II: For information, contact: Congress Secre Matrix polysaccharides, callose, and May 5-10, 1996 tariat, Institute for Tropical and Subtropical cellulose/N. Carpita, B. Wasserman, D. Model Program in Environmental and Crops, Private Bag X 11208, Nelspruit 1200, Delmer; Role of the extracellular matrix in Agricultural Ethics South Africa; telephone 27-1311-52071, fax plant growth development (I and 1I)/K. Michigan State University, East Lansing 27-1311-23854, e-mail Roberts, A. Clarke, R. Quatrano, D. Iowa State University Life Sciences Bioethics [email protected]. See May /June Cosgrove, C. Brownlee, TBA; Role of cell Institute teaches basic methods and 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. walls in symbiosis and pathogenesis (I, II, principles in ethics to life science faculty and III)/M. Hahn, H. Spaink, N. Shibuya, members, focusing on those who deal with May 27-June 1, 1996 G. DeLorenzo, C. Lamb, B. Fritig, two TBA; the envirorunent, food, nutrition, animals, Seventh International Conference on the Cell walls in food, feed dnd industry (1 and and agriculture. The institute equips faculty Cell and Molecular Biology of I1)/}. Reid, A. Voragen, D. Della Penna, A to introduce discussions of ethical issues Chlamydomonas Bennett, TBA. Attendance limited to 300. into existing science courses. Three philoso Regensburg, Germany Application and abstract deadline is October phers, Professors Fred Gifford and Tom This conference is being organized by Drs. 18, 1995. Anyone who has ever applied to a Tomlinson (Michigan State) and Gary Rudiger Schmitt and Peter Hegemann, September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 21 Universitat Regensburg, and Elizabeth further information, contact: Keith Wilson, June 23-26, 1996 Harris, Duke University, and is sponsored Office of Continuing Professional Education, Second International Symposium on the by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Rutgers University, Cook College, P.O. Box Biology of Root Formation and Bavarian State Government, and Genetics 231, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0231; Development Society of America. Platform sessions will telephone 908-932-9271, fax 908-932-1187. Jerusalem, Israel include cell cycle and differentiation; For more information, or to receive a call flagella: biogenesis, assembly, and function; June 9-13, 1996 for papers, contact Second International photosynthesis; vision and chemical senses; NATO Advanced Research Workshop Symposium of the Biology of Root Forma innovations in genetic and molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the Plant tion and Development, P.O. Box 50006, Tel biology; organelles (genetics, organization Hormone Ethylene Aviv 61500, Israel. See May /June 1995 ASPP and function); cell wall and membrane; Chania, Crete, Greece Newsletter for details. mating, evolution, and taxonomy; algae and Co-sponsored by the European Union TMR lower eukaryotes for the study of new Euconference and COST-915 programmes. June 23-28, 1996 phenomena; and molecular toolkit (work Objectives: Ethylene is a major plant Seventh International Conference on shop). Investigators interested in participat hormone that plays a key role in many Arabidopsis Research ing are invited to submit abstracts by developmental processes including ripening University of East Anglia, Norwich, United January 31, 1996. Send request for registra and senescence. The detrimental effects of Kingdom tion and abstract materials to Dr. Rudiger endogenously produced ethylene on the Registration details will be posted to the Schmitt, Institut rur Biochemie, Genetik und acceleration of fruit ripening and senescence international and United Kingdom MikrobioJogie, 93040 Regensburg, Germany; causes great losses in commercial horticul Arabidopsis bulletin boards by September telephone 00 49 943-941-3162, fax 00 49 943 ture. In the last decade, the key biochemical when finalized. The opening lecture is to be 941-3163; or send e-mail to steps involved in ethylene biosynthesis have given by Jonathan Hodgkin of the MRC, [email protected]. been elucidated. Recently much progress has Cambridge, United Kingdom. The seven been made towards understanding the lecture sessions will cover the following May 28-June 1, 1996 ethylene perception and signal transduction topics: floral development, vegetative Arc et Senans Plant Workshop: Roots pathway. Topics: Biochemical and molecular development, floral transition and embryo Arc et Senans, France mechanisms of ethylene synthesis, stress genesis, plant pathogen interactions, This is the first in a new series of work ethylene: biochemical and molecular hormones, metabolism, photoperception. shops sponsored by Zeneca Plant Science approaches; biotechnological control of There will also be workshops and a and Rhone Poulenc and organized in ethylene synthesis, perception and signal permanent poster display area during the collaboration with The Plant Journal. The transduction pathways, ethylene involve week. 1996 Meeting Organizing Committee workshop will provide a new interdiscipli ment in pathogenesis and disease resistance; members are: Mike Bevan, George nary forum to explore the subject of "Roots" ethylene action control; ethylene and Coupland, Caroline Dean, Dick Flavell, Nick from the perspective of different disciplines. senescence of plant organs; growth Harberd, Mary Rayward-Smith. Queries may Recent advances will be reviewed, the development, applied aspects. Organizer: Dr. be addressed to: [email protected]. present status of research addressed and Angelos K. Kanellis. To be added to the future opportunities defined. A main feature symposium mailing list, send your name of the workshop will be the opportunity for and address to: Dr. Angelos K. Kanellis, JULY young researchers and established leaders in National Agricultural Research Foundation, the field of study to meet together to Institute of Viticulture and Vegetable Crops, July 7-12 1996 discuss their interests. There will be sessions PO Box 1841, 711 10 Heraklion, Crete, 12th International Symposium on on: origin, growth and development of the Greece; telephone 30 81 245851 or 245873, Plant Lipids primary root; cell division and root growth; fax 30 81 245873 or 245858, e-mail Toronto, Canada lateral roots and root architecture; root [email protected]. Contact John P. Williams, Department of physiology and function; roots and other Botany, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks organisms; roots and agriculture. Opportuni June 16-21, 1996 SI., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B2; ties for poster presentations, short talks, and Third International Symposium on in Vitro telephone 416-978- 3540, fax 416-978-5878, e round table discussions are scheduled. For Culture and Horticultural Breeding mail [email protected]. See July/ further information, contact: Dr. Louise Jerusalem, Israel August 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details_ Dewhurst, IFAB Communications, Depart For more information, or to receive a call ment of Biology, University of York, PO Box for papers, contact Third International July 14-17, 1996 373, York YOI 5YW, United Kingdom; fax Symposium on in Vitro Culture and 4th IUBMB Conference 44 1904 433029, e-mail Horticultural Breeding, P.O. Box 50006, Tel The Life and Death of the Cell [email protected]. Aviv 6500, Israel. See May/June 1995 ASPP Edinburgh, Scotland Newsletter for details. Contact: The Meetings Office, The Biochemi cal Society, 59 Portland Place, London WIN JUNE June 22-26, 1996 3A], United Kingdom; telephone 44-171-580 1996 World Congress on In Vitro Biology 5530, fax 44-171-637-7626, e-mail June 2-5, 1996 Bioctechnology: From Fundamental [email protected]. See July/ The Monroe WalI Symposium on Concepts to Reality August 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. Natural Products: San Francisco, California Harnessing Biodiversity for Therapeutic Contact: Tiffany McMillan, telephone 410 Drugs and Foods 992-0946, fax 410-992-0949. See July/August New Brunswick, New Jersey 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. Organizers: Rutgers University and Xechem, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA. For 22 ASPP Newsletter July 14-18, 1996 AUGUST Institute of Environmental Health 5th Symposium of the International Society Sciences, recommends that infants in of Root Research: August 4-9 1996 the affected areas be given bottled Root Demographics and Their Efficiencies Postharvest 96: water, rather than tap water, during in Sustainable Agriculture, Grasslands, Fourth Yearly International Conference on and Forestry Postharvest Science the growing season, when most of the Clemson, South Carolina Taupo, New Zealand herbicides are applied. In recognition of For additional information please contact For more information and registration the problem, the Dupont Company, Dr. James E. Box, Jr., USDA-ARS, P.O. Box materials contact: Dr. Ian Ferguson, manufacturer of cyanazine, plans to 555, Watkinsville, GA 30677, U.s.A., or by e HortResearch, Private Bag 92 169, Auckland, phase out production of that herbicide mail [email protected], fax 706-769 NZ; telephone 00 64 9 849 3660, fax 00 64 9 within the next several years. In the 8962, telephone 706-769-5631. PleasE' supply 815 4202, e-mail ifergusonl9lhorLcri.nz. See meantime, the C. S. House of Represen your name, complete address, and, if July/August 1995 ASPP Newletter for tatives has voted to eliminate all money available, your e-mail, fax, and telephone details. that goes to monitor drinking water, numbers. See July/August 1995 ASPP including a $1 billion loan program to l\;ewsJetter for Jetails. August 5-8, 1996 help towns purify water contaminated 5th International Plant Cold with herbicides. July 14-19, 1996 Hardiness Seminar It seems to me that ASPP, as a 8th International Symposium on Molecular Oregon State University, Corvallis scientific society closely connected with Plant-Microbe Interactions and Contact: Tony Chen, Department of 7th Annual Gatlinburg Symposium Horticulture, Oregon State Cniv('rsity, the discovery and application of University of Tennessee, Knoxville Corvallis, Oregon 97331; telephone 503-737 herbicides, has a responSibility for For more information, contact: Dr. Gary 5444, fax 503-737-3479, e-mail looking into this situation. If the facts Stacey, Director, Center for Legume [email protected]; or contact Paul !.i, in this report are true, then we should Research M409 Walters Life Science Bldg. Department of Horticultural Science, immediately recommend altered [he University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MI\ schedules of herbicide use, together 37996-0845 USA; fax 615-974--4007; e-mail: 55108; telephone 612-624-1757, fax 612-624 with an accelerated search for safer, gstaceyl9lutkvx.utk.edu. See July / August 4941, e-mail [email protected]. more rapidly biodegradable herbicides. 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. And if dangerous levels of herbicides are indeed contaminating the drinking July 21-24, 1996 water supplies of so many Americans, Third International Fructan Symposium Logan, Utah we should urge that Congress restore, and in fact increase the money used to Contact: N. Jerry lhatterton, USDA/ ARS, Forage and Range Research, Utah State monitor and remove these substances. university, r.ogan, Utah 84322-6300, USA; Sincerely, telephone 801-797-2249, fax 801-797-3075, e Arthur W. Galston mail [email protected]. Eaton Professor, Emeritus Yale University Former President (1962-1963), ASPP LETTER TO THE EDITOR Corn Belt. The drinking water of all 29 cities and towns tested contained The New York Times of August 18, appreciable herbicides, and in 18 the 1995, carries, on page AID, a news levels exceeded federal safety stan Deadline report that ought to be of concern to dards. The worst violations were found officers and members of ASPP, espe in Danville, Illinois, where the level of cially those interested in the public cyanazine was 34 times the federal for the affairs aspects of our science. Cnder standard, and in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the headline "Weed Killers in Tap where a typical glass of drinking water November/December Water in Corn Belt: Study Sees Danger contained nine kinds of herbicides. In to Young Children," the Times report~ all, it is estimated that 20-25 million that a study by the Environmental Americans ingest herbicides with their 1995 issue Working Group, a private envirorunen drinking water, the greatest exposures tal research and advocacy organization being found in New Orleans, where of the headquartered in Washington, D.C., \!Iississippi River Water is used. By finds that tap water in the Com Belt is contrast, cities such as Chicago, dangerously contaminated with Cleveland, and Milwaukee, which draw ASPP Newsletter herbicides. Samples were collected their water from the Great Lakes, are every three days from faucets in not affected kitchens, bathrooms, and offices, the The situation in the affected areas is is November 1, 1995. first time that such an extensive study sufficiently serious that Dr. David RaIl, hJS been conducted throughout the formerly director of the I\ational 30 ASPP Newsletter FELLOWSHIPS, TRAINEESHIPS, groups underrepresented in the biological sci copy, and plant growth. Each student is pro ences are strongly encouraged to apply. Fel vided a combinatiun uf research and teaching GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS, lowship recipients must be citizens or perma assistantships for four years. Annual financial AND ETC. nent residents of the U.s. For application forms, support is $16,700, which includes $2,600 for please write to: Ms. Pam Bullis, Graduate Sec in-state 1995-96 tuition and health insurance retary, National Needs Fellowships, Depart premiums. Out-of-state tuition is also waived. ment of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue Applicants must be U.s. citizens or permanent National Needs Fellowships in University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1155, fax residents. Women and minorities are encour Plant Biotechnology 317-494-0363, e-mail [email protected] aged to apply. Send requests for information Purdue University, West Lafayette Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/ and application forms to: Larry Orr, Coordi Indiana Affirmative Action Employer nator, Graduate Research Training Grant Pro (New) gram, Arizona State University, P.O. Box Applications are invited for fellowships in a 871604, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1604; telephone new multidisciplinary curriculum in plant fi NSF Graduate Research Training Program 602-965-1963, fax 602-965-274, e-mail ber and cell wall biotechnology at Purdue Arizona State University, Tempe [email protected], URL http://aspin.asu.edu/ Cniversity beginning in the fall semester of (New) provider/photosyn/grt/. 1996. We have developed this program to Arizona State University's Graduate Research broadly train doctoral students in the biochem Training Program supported by the National istry, physical chemistry, molecular biology, Science Foundation offers excellent integrated, Graduate Assistantship and genetics of polysaccharide and lignin struc multidisciplinary training on molecular aspects University of Arizona, Tucson ture and biosynthesis. The goal is to expand of energy transduction. Participating are: the (New) the basic knowledge of the plant cell wall and Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Turfgrass molecular biology/transformation. to improve the ability to modify the plant's Biology, Center for the Study of Early Events Contact: Dr. Kenneth Marcum, Department of biogenesis of these materials for improved fi in Photosynthesis, and Departments of Chem Plant Sciences, Furbes Building, University of ber components. Individual research projects istry & Biochemistry and Botany. Research Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, telephone include: chemical and structural analysis of areas include: structure and function of photo 520-321-7786, fax 520-321-1534, e-mail mutants of lignin biosynthesis and the identi synthetic reaction centers, synthetic reaction [email protected]. fication of genes in the biosynthetic pathway center models, plant molecular biology, cell (Prof. Clint Chapple), conformational analyses growth and development, mechanisms of bio of plant polysaccharides by experimental and genesis of organelles, expression of photosyn Graduate Research Assistantship molecular mudeling techniques (Profs. James thetically important genes Interaction between North Carolina State University, Raleigh BeMiller, R. Chandrasekaran, and Rick laboratoriE's and "brain-storming" sessions to (Repeat) Millane), genetic engineering of of plant pec stimulate critical scientific thinking are inte Contact: Dr. Barry Goldfarb, Department of tins (Prof. Avtar Handa), enhancement of gral parts of the program.fhe departments Forestry, Box 8002, North Carolina State Uni mixed-Iinka/';e b-D-glucan content in transgenic are exceptionally well equipped with laser versity, Raleigh, NC 27695-8002, telephone 'ilY cereals (Profs. Nick Carpita and Tom Hodges), spectrometers, x-ray diffraction and EPR spec 515-4471, fax 919-515-3169, e-mail and genetic and molecular analysis of mutants trometers, fluorescence equipment, and labo [email protected]. North Carolina State of flax fiber synthesis (Prof. Nick Carpita). raturies for protein and nucleic acid chemis University is an affirmative action/equal op Stipends are for $17,000 per year and include try. Facilities are also available for '\.TMR spec portunity employer. waiver of graduate tuition. Individuals from troscopy, molecular modeling, electron micros- (Details July/ August 1995.) Officers of ASPP who will assume their positions on October 1, 1995: (I-r) Don Ort (USDA/ARS, University of Illinois), president-elect Mary Jo Vesper (Dayron University), secretary; Bob Buchanon (University of California, Berkeley), president September/October 1995, Vol. 22, No.5 31 At the 1995 ASPP annual meeting, Jane Shen-Miller (right) describes to Anne Datko her finding that a 1288 year-old Lotus seed was still viable because of a highly stable pollen protein repair enzyme. Enjoying a moment at the annual meeting are (I-r) Bob Buchanan, Dick Laster (chair of the ASPP Education Foundation), and Russell Jones.