Biotech Plants:

A genetically modified (GM) plant is, strictly speaking, different from a plant produced through traditional plant breeding. In a GM crop, genes are inserted in the plant's DNA by humans under laboratory conditions. It would be hard and nearly impossible to introduce these genes by traditional plant breeding.

A GM plant has typically several genes inserted along with the gene of interest. For example, Round-Up Ready® soybean has a promotor gene inserted that drives the Round-Up Ready® gene (EPSPS gene that is resistant to glyphosate) to operate the herbicide resistance gene making the plant resistant to glyphosate applications. A GM plant would, in addition to the promotor and gene of interest, have an anti-biotic resistance gene inserted in its DNA. This anti-biotic resistance gene served at a selection tool when the plant was first genetically modified in the lab. The anti-biotic gene allowed rearchers to select for the GM plants in their experiments. Currently, there is a move away from using anti-biotic genes as selection tools. However, most of the biotech crops still have a anti-biotic marker gene in their DNA.

In our standard test at BioProfile Testing Laboratories, LLC, we test for the promotor, the gene of interest, and the anti-biotic resistance gene to determine the GMO content of a grain sample. We find that this approach of testing is the most robust in the industry to test for GMOs.