Development of a real-time multiplex PCR system for the quantitative detection of Chinese GM rice

BACKGROUND: Rice is one of the most important staple food crops for more than half the global population, who rely on it for as much as 80% of their diet. By one estimate, the world population is projected to grow to approximately 11 billion people by the year 2050. So it is a formidable task to meet the future demand. For this reason, breeders make a great deal of effort to produce new rice varieties with traits such as higher yield, improved nutritional content and better resistance to disease and pests, via transgenic biotechnological protocols. Dozens of transgenic rice lines have been developed since the first transgenic rice plant production in the late 1980s. With the rapid approach of transgenic rice commercialisation, it is becoming necessary to develop techniques capable of detecting and quantifying genetically modified (GM) rice. RESULT: Here we describe a method in which transgenic DNA is quantified by amplifying part of the 35S-CaMV promoter and standardising it against an amplified portion of an endogenous single copy, rice specific gene encoding sucrose phosphate synthase. Both reactions are performed simultaneously in a single tube. Standard calibration curves were developed by diluting DNA extracted from a blend of non-transgenic (c.v., Nipponbare) and 5% KMD2 transgenic rice. The method was tested for the quantification of the five GM rice events, including KMD2, Wan 21A, GC-1, H1597 and TR4, which contain the 35S-CaMV promoter. The coefficient of variation varied from 3.15% to 12.84%, which is up to acceptance criterion over the dynamic range of the method. CONCLUSION: In this study, we successfully applied a multiplex real-time PCR assay to GM rice, which employed SPS as the endogenous reference gene and the gene regulation element 35S-CaMV promoter as a GMO marker. The detection limit and limit of quantification is sufficient to comply with all relevant regulations in the EU and worldwide. The detection system could be applied in routine analysis for the quantification of GM rice in food materials, such as instant rice, unpolished rice, rice flours, biscuit powders, and starch. It may prove useful with regard to a robust screening technique of broad utility as transgenic rice enters global commodity markets. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry