Abstract
The genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybean contains the following introduced DNA sequences: the EPSPS (5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) gene from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4, the 35S promoter from the cauliflower mosaic virus, and the NOS terminator from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. In the present study, detection of these introduced DNAs was performed by amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A multiplex PCR method was also applied to prevent false positive results. When primers for 35S promoter, nos3', CTP(chloroplast transit peptide), and CP4 EPSPS (EPSPS from Agrobacterium sp. CP4) were used, positive results were obtained in PCR reactions using DNA from genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybeans. There were no false positive results when using DNA from non-genetically modified soybeans. The CP4 EPSPS gene was detected when less than 125 pg glyphosate-tolerant soybean DNA was amplified. Lectin Lel and psb A were amplified from both non-genetically modified and genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant soybean DNA. Multiplex PCR was performed using different primer sets for actin Sacl, 35S promoter and CP4 EPSPS. The actin gene was detectable in both non-genetically modified and glyphosate-tolerant soybeans as a constant endogenous gene. Target DNAs for the 35S promoter, and CP4 EPSPS were detected in samples containing 0.01-0.1% glyphosate-tolerant soybean, although there were variations depending on primers by multiplex PCR. Soybean seeds from five plants of non-genetically modified soybean were co-cultivated for six months with those of genetically modified soybean, and they were analyzed by PCR. As a result, they were not positive for 35S promoter, nos3' or CP4 EPSPS. Therefore, these results suggest there was no natural crossing of genes between glyphosate-tolerant and non-genetically modified soybean during co-cultivation, which indicates that gene transfer between these plants is unlikely to occur in nature.
