Molecular Taxonomy of the Fungus, Penicillium: This award recommendation is made under the U.S.-Industrialized Countries Program for the Exchange of Scientists and Engineers, 1987/1988 Competition. The program is designed to enable U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct long-term research at research institutions in the industrialized countries of Western Europe as well as Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Exchange awards provide opportunities for the conduct of joint research and the utilization of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions in foreign countries. Awards are selected on the basis of scientific criteria relevant to his/her field of science, the prospective potential of the applicants for professional growth, as well as criteria relevant to the furthering of international cooperation in science and engineering. The program is particularly directed to scientists and engineers who are embarking on their research careers. This research project will address questions on the taxonomy and molecular evolution of Penicillium species. The proposer's study of four heterothallic Neuspora species employed restriction endonuclease mapping of mtDNA. The preliminary application of this technique to Penicillium species has shown high variability among closely related species. It is felt that the examination of conservative regions of mtDNA and nuclear DNA by restriction mapping and direct sequencing will contribute to answering questions about organismal and molecular evolution in the genus Penicillium. The project is under the direction of Dr. John W. Taylor, Department of Botany, University of California at Berkely CA 94720, U.S.A., and Dr. John I. Pitt, Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Food Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 52, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia. This award recommendation provides funds to cover, as appropriate, international travel, local travel abroad, stipend, dependents allowance, if applicable, language training, if required, and a flat administrative allowance of $250 for the U.S. home institution.
