Dear Participants,

I am honoured to welcome you to the online discussions by the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms in 2019.  This forum responds to decision 9/11 of the Conference of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which requested the Executive Secretary to continue facilitating online discussions of the Network of Laboratories for the Detection and Identification of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).

Participants are invited to actively contribute to the forum discussions to provide a valuable pool of resources. Three topics would be discussed concurrently.

Under Topic 1, participants are requested to provide examples of the techniques currently in use, as well as to highlight any new technique or approach that is either in use or under development. Participants are encouraged to consider this with respect to LMOs that are currently on the market, as well as those that are under research and development. As well, participants are also encouraged to share their experiences in detection and identification of LMOs produced through genome editing.

Some points to consider are:
- New techniques that are in use for the detection and identification of LMOs;
- The accuracy, applicability and reliability of new methodologies;
- The applicability of current techniques for the detection and identification of LMOs with special consideration for genome editing

When posting this information; kindly provide the source, and indicate if it is coming from a publication, your own work, or any other source. In addition, if you would like to respond to another post, we request that you mention the # of the post you are responding to, for example: “in response to post # XXXX, …”. This will also facilitate the understanding of others. Please post your responses under this thread. We also advise you to review the general guidelines for the forum posted on the main webpage of the discussion.

I would like to thank you for your participation in this forum and look forward to an interesting discussion.

Kind regards,
Shakirat Ajenifujah-Solebo

Distinguished Colleagues,

The Detection and Identification Online Discussions 2019 provides an opportunity to update and share our experiences on current trends in the detection and identification of LMOs and emerging issues in the detection, identification and monitoring of organisms, components and products of synthetic biology. Also open for discussions are the current and existing capacities for the detection and identification of LMOs.
The feedback on these issues will be summarized as a resource for the network of laboratories for the detection and identification of LMOs.
We still have some time and therefore encourage meaningful engagements among participants. The Secretariat echoes the moderator’s invitation to participants to contribute to the discussions while thanking those that have done so already..

Best regards,
Shakirat Ajenifujah-Solebo

It is a pleasure to greet you, about item 1 and 3, the National Reference Center for GMO  Detection belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture in Mexico we constantly work to maintain the analysis of Genetically Modified Organisms in products of agri-food interest according to the applicable national and international legislation.
We currently use the real-time PCR and digital PCR techniques that are accredited under ISO 17025, our laboratory is accredited since 2011, is certified in ISO 19001, 14001 and 45001
We have validated methods to analyze 10 different plant matrices, 31 genetic modification events, 3 sieve elements (35S, tNOS and PFMV) with a LOD = 0.025% and a LOQ = 0.1%
In 2013, we collaborated with the National Metrology Center (CENAM) in the project to generate 9 Certified Reference Materials for Genetically Modified Organisms in a high percentage that was fully supported with resources from the SAGARPA-CONACYT FUND, thanks to this project we currently have Materials reference for corn, soy and wheat.
In 2017, we collaborated with CENAM to demonstrate the ability to measure GMOs in Mexico using digital PCR, in the proficiency test for the National Metrology Centers organized by the BIMP CCQM, two samples of genetically modified canola were measured and the results obtained were very close to the expected value.
It is important to highlight that a fundamental aspect at the high analytical level of the CNRDOGM has been the constant support to have infrastructure, supplies, training and the commitment and professionalism of the staff.

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