[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7443-7445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4015]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Research


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 97-10; 
Microbial Genome Program

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the 
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby 
announces its interest in receiving applications for grants in support 
of the Microbial Genome Program (MGP). The MGP focus is on developing 
and using high-throughput microbial genome sequencing that will provide 
functional genomic sequence and mapping information on microorganisms: 
with environmental or energy relevance; of phylogenetic significance; 
and of potential commercial importance and application. Bioinformatics 
tools relating to complete genomic sequences are also of importance to 
the MGP.

DATES: Preapplications referencing Program Notice 97-10 should be 
received by March 24, 1997. Formal applications in response to this 
notice should be received by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., June 9, 1997, to be 
accepted for merit review and funding in early FY 1998.

ADDRESSES: Preapplications referencing Program Notice 97-10 should be 
sent to Dr. Marvin E. Frazier, Office of Health and Environmental 
Research, ER-72, Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290; e-mail is acceptable 
for submitting preapplications using the following address: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#88e4e9e6e9a6e9e0e9e4fcc8e7edfaa6ece7eda6efe7fe"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f498959a95da959c959880b49b9186da909b91da939b82">[email protected]</span></a>. Formal applications referencing Program Notice 
97-10 should be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 
Energy Research, Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown 
Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 97-10. This 
address must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal 
Service Express Mail or any commercial mail delivery service, or when 
hand-carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Marvin E. Frazier, ER-72, Office 
of Health and Environmental Research, Office of Energy Research, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, 
telephone: (301) 903-5468, e-mail: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#701c111e115e1118111c04301f15025e141f155e171f06"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="076b66696629666f666b73476862752963686229606871">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Molecular biological research on 
industrially important microorganisms and on microorganisms that live 
in extreme environments (including the deep subsurface, geothermal 
environments, hypersaline environments, frozen environments, and toxic 
waste sites) is a developing area of great scientific promise that will 
impact many DOE missions, other federal agency missions, and U.S. 
industry. The Microbial Genome Program supports key DOE business areas 
by providing microbial

[[Page 7444]]

DNA sequence information that will further the understanding and 
application of microbial biology relating to energy production, 
chemical and materials production, and environmental cleanup. The 
exploration of microbial genomic sequence diversity is a natural 
outgrowth of past and current Biological and Environmental Research 
(BER) Programs, including chromosome mapping and DNA sequencing from 
the Human Genome Program, structural biology studies utilizing BER-
supported facilities and synchrotrons located at DOE laboratories, and 
molecular microbiological research supported by BER environmental 
programs. The MGP benefits directly from capabilities at DOE national 
laboratories, DOE and National Institutes of Health Human Genome 
Centers, the DOE and NIH Genome Data Base (GDB), and university 
capabilities, including the DOE-sponsored Subsurface Microbial Culture 
Collection and the DOE Genome Sequence Data Base (GSDB). The MGP 
represents a considerable interdisciplinary effort and will contribute 
to and draw from a wide variety of public and private programs.
    Applications are being sought in three complementary areas: genomic 
sequencing, functional analysis, and bioinformatics. Each application 
must clearly state which area is being addressed; if an applicant 
wishes to address more than one area, the application must clearly 
describe the expected advantages of an integrated approach.

1. Genomic Sequencing.

    The DOE intends to continue its support of one or two laboratories 
that will completely sequence carefully selected microbial genomes. 
Applicants must demonstrate that they can apply the most recent, high-
throughput technology cost-effectively to the production of sequence 
data and show that they can adequately and efficiently accumulate, 
store and disseminate those data for future interpretation and 
application. A commitment to and a plan for making the sequence data 
publicly available by deposition into an accessible sequence database 
(GenBank and GSDB) within three months of data acquisition and 
annotation must be included in the Project Description. Preference will 
be given to those applicants that demonstrate well developed plans for 
selecting candidates for DNA sequencing. Candidate microorganisms may 
include, but are not limited to, bacteria and archaea that mediate or 
catalyze metabolic events of energy or environmental importance. Strict 
pathogens or parasites will not be considered. Applicants are 
encouraged to create process- and cost-effective partnerships that will 
maximize sequence data production and analysis, data dissemination, and 
progress towards understanding basic biological mechanisms that can 
further the development of biotechnology. It is anticipated that one or 
two major awards will be made to conduct microbial genome sequencing 
for a total of $3 to 4 million in FY 1998.
    Many microorganisms that are closely related by means of 
phylogenetic measures (e.g., 16S rRNA comparisons) display dramatic 
differences in phenotypic characteristics. Such differences can be 
chromosomal in origin, or they can be due to extrachromosomal genetic 
elements. DOE is interested in technologies that could exploit the 
completed sequence of one microorganism to efficiently determine the 
sequence of a related taxon, without resequencing the entire genome of 
the related organism de novo. New technologies up to the proof-of-
principle stage are eligible for support, and it is estimated that 
between two and four awards for a total of $500,000 to $1 million could 
be available in FY 1998.

2. Functional Analysis

    It is presently difficult, and in many instances impossible, to 
predict biological function from genomic sequence data. Better methods 
are needed to identify open reading frames and predict their function. 
This is especially true for environmental isolates and for 
environmental microorganisms that cannot yet be cultured. Accordingly, 
applications are requested that will address these and related needs in 
the area of predicting biological function. It is estimated that 
between two and four awards for a total of $1 to $2 million could be 
available for this area in FY 1998.

3. Bioinformatics

    It is estimated that by June, 1997, completed genomic sequences of 
five or six archaea and bacteria (Mycoplasma genitalium, Methanococcus 
jannaschii, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, Archaeoglobus 
fulgidus, Pyrococcus furiosus, and Aquifex sp. strain VF5) will be 
publicly available, as a direct result of DOE Microbial Genome Program 
funding. In addition, completed sequences for Haemophilus influenzae, 
Saccharomyces cerevisae, and Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 are also 
now publicly available, and by June, 1997, Escherichia coli, 
Helicobacter pylori, and Borrelia burgdorferii genomic sequences should 
also be publicly available (all funded by other sources). This 
unprecedented explosion of genetic information, along with the 
anticipated increase in other genomic sequence data that will occur 
over the next year, has underscored the need for better approaches and 
tools for comparing and analyzing this rapidly increasing volume of 
data. Accordingly, applications are requested that will propose ways in 
which data from all databases can be accessed, analyzed, compared, 
updated, verified, and annotated. It is anticipated that between two 
and four awards for a total of $1 to $2 million could be available for 
this area in FY 1998.
    Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief 
preapplication that consists of two to three pages of narrative 
describing the research objectives and method of accomplishment. 
Preapplications will be reviewed relative to the scope and research 
needs of the BER Microbial Genome Program, as outlined in the summary 
paragraph and in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Principal investigator 
telephone number, FAX number, and e-mail address are required as part 
of the preapplication. A response to each preapplication discussing the 
potential programmatic relevance of a formal application will be 
communicated to the Principal Investigator within 14 to 21 days of 
receipt.
    It is anticipated that approximately $7 million will be available 
for all MGP awards, five to ten awards are anticipated, contingent on 
availability of appropriated funds in FY 1998. Multiple year funding is 
expected, also contingent on availability of funds and progress of the 
research. Previous awards have ranged from $200,000 to $2 million per 
year with terms of one to three years.
    Applications will be subjected to formal merit review (peer review) 
and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria which 
are listed in descending order of importance codified at 10 CFR 
605.10(d):

1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project;
2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach;
3. Competency of Applicant's personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources;
4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.

    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's

[[Page 7445]]

programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are selected with 
regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence of conflict-
of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers will often be used, and 
submission of an application constitutes agreement that this is 
acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    The Office of Energy Research (ER), as part of its grant 
regulations, requires at 10 CFR 605.11(b) that a grantee funded by ER 
and performing research involving recombinant DNA molecules shall 
comply with the National Institutes of Health ``Guidelines for Research 
Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules'' (51 FR 16958, May 7, 1986), or 
such later guidelines as may be published in the Federal Register. The 
Project Description must be 30 pages or less, exclusive of attachments. 
It must contain an abstract or project summary, letters of intent from 
collaborators, and short curriculum vitaes consistent with NIH 
guidelines.
    To provide a consistent format for the submission, review and 
solicitation of grant applications submitted under this notice, the 
preparation and submission of grant applications must follow the 
guidelines given in the Application Guide for the Office of Energy 
Research Financial Assistance Program 10 CFR Part 605. Access to ER's 
Financial Assistance Application Guide is possible via the World Wide 
Web at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.
    Other useful web sites include:

MGP Home Page--http://www.er.doe.gov/production/oher/EPR/mig__top.html
GenBank Home Page--<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
GSDB">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
GSDB</a> Home Page--<a href="http://www.ncgr.org/gsdb/
Human">http://www.ncgr.org/gsdb/
Human</a> Genome Home Page--http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this 
program is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 
CFR Part 605.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 12, 1997.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 97-4015 Filed 2-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P


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