Development of a qualitative real-time PCR method to detect 19 targets for identification of genetically modified organisms

Cheng Peng; Pengfei Wang; Xiaoli Xu; Xiaofu Wang; Wei Wei; Xiaoyun Chen; Junfeng Xu

doi:10.1186/s40064-016-2395-y

Development of a qualitative real-time PCR method to detect 19 targets for identification of genetically modified organisms

Springerplus. 2016 Jun 24;5(1):889. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-2395-y. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Cheng Peng¹, Pengfei Wang², Xiaoli Xu¹, Xiaofu Wang¹, Wei Wei¹, Xiaoyun Chen¹, Junfeng Xu¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Quality and Standard for Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021 China ; State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control, Hangzhou, 310021 China.
² College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China.

Abstract

As the amount of commercially available genetically modified organisms (GMOs) grows recent years, the diversity of target sequences for molecular detection techniques are eagerly needed. Considered as the gold standard for GMO analysis, the real-time PCR technology was optimized to produce a high-throughput GMO screening method. With this method we can detect 19 transgenic targets. The specificity of the assays was demonstrated to be 100 % by the specific amplification of DNA derived from reference material from 20 genetically modified crops and 4 non modified crops. Furthermore, most assays showed a very sensitive detection, reaching the limit of ten copies. The 19 assays are the most frequently used genetic elements present in GM crops and theoretically enable the screening of the known GMO described in Chinese markets. Easy to use, fast and cost efficient, this method approach fits the purpose of GMO testing laboratories.

Keywords: Genetically modified organism (GMO); Identification; Real-time PCR; Screening.