See what you eat—broad GMO screening with microarrays

• Published in: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry 2010-03, Vol.396 (6), p.1961-1967
• Main Author: von Gotz, Franz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Biochemistry; Biotechnology; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crops, Agricultural - genetics; DNA microarrays; Food; Food Science; Forecasts and trends; Gene amplification; Genetic Techniques; Genetically engineered foods; Genetically modified crops; Identification and classification; Labeling; Laboratory Medicine; Laws, regulations and rules; Mathematical analysis; Methods; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nucleotide sequence; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Physiological aspects; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Polymerase chain reaction; Primers (Molecular genetics); Promoters (Genetics); Properties; Screening; Trends
• ISSN: 1618-2642; 1618-2650
• DOI: 10.1007/s00216-009-3204-z

Despite the controversy of whether genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are beneficial or harmful for humans, animals, and/or ecosystems, the number of cultivated GMOs is increasing every year. Many countries and federations have implemented safety and surveillance systems for GMOs. Potent testing technologies need to be developed and implemented to monitor the increasing number of GMOs. First, these GMO tests need to be comprehensive, i.e., should detect all, or at least the most important, GMOs on the market. This type of GMO screening requires a high degree of parallel tests or multiplexing. To date, DNA microarrays have the highest number of multiplexing capabilities when nucleic acids are analyzed. This trend article focuses on the evolution of DNA microarrays for GMO testing. Over the last 7 years, combinations of multiplex PCR detection and microarray detection have been developed to qualitatively assess the presence of GMOs. One example is the commercially available DualChip® GMO (Eppendorf, Germany; http://www.eppendorf-biochip.com), which is the only GMO screening system successfully validated in a multicenter study. With use of innovative amplification techniques, promising steps have recently been taken to make GMO detection with microarrays quantitative. [graphic removed]