Detection and Identification Online Discussions 2019

Hello! My greetings to all the participants

I’m Eva Bermúdez from the Executive Secretary of the Inter-Secretarial Commission of Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms (CIBIOGEM) that gathers all the National Competent Authorities in biosafety issues. One of our functions is to coordinate a National Network from LMO Detection to reunite laboratories from the Competent Secretaries of State but also laboratories from Research Centers and Universities which have been certified by some of the Federal Secretaries that have the capacity to perform detection and identification of LMOs. In this Network we have conducted assays to implement validated methods as qPCR. In this regard, Mexico was the first Latin-American country which developed its own certified materials from soy and maize in a project carried out the National Center of Metrology with the financing of the CIBIOGEM.

As previously mention, the most used technique in the Network to detect and identify LMO is real time PCR (qPCR) either using Sybr Green methods or fluorescent probes methods. In addition, some of the laboratories still using final point PCR of some protein-based methods as a complement. Until now, qPCR remains a sensitive and reliable technique that allows to detect common GM elements as P35S or TNOS or, if the specific sequence is known, also permits the identification of a specific events.

The past year, the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC) carried out a study to detect and identify the presence of transgenes in samples of native maize from five states where the maize biodiversity is very important. In this work, duplex qPCR was used to detect in the same reaction the 35S promoter and the NOS terminator. This modification results in the saving of resources and working time.

Actually, some other methodologies begin to be used and seem to be have lower detection limits as digital PCR or the protocols derived from the Next Generation Sequencing methods. These techniques could be helpful also in the detection of products from the synthetic biology or from the gene editing   However; in our country there are no validated protocol established for the new biotechnologies.

Finally, I think this forum is a great opportunity to share experiences and to cooperate in order to obtain information related with LMO identification that will be helpful to protect our biodiversity and to try to minimize the negative impacts of LMO in it and in human health.

Best regards:

Eva Bermúdez
Deputy Director of Scientific and Technological Development and Innovation
Executive Secretary of CIBIOGEM