Biotech Updates

Degradation and Detection of Bt Genes and Proteins from Rice after Thermal Processes

August 26, 2015

Scientists from Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Nanjing Agricultural University in China conducted a study to investigate the degradation of three transgenic Bt genes (Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, and Cry1Ab/Ac) and the corresponding encoded Bt proteins in Bt rice powder after autoclaving, cooking, baking, or microwaving.

Results showed that Bt gene is relatively more stable compared to the endogenous sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) gene under thermal treatment. For Bt gene or SPS gene, short DNA fragments are more stable than long DNA fragments. Furthermore, the degradation of Bt gene and protein were positively correlated with the treatment violence. It was also observed that the protein of Cry1Ab is more stable than protein of Cry1Ac and Cry1Ab/Ac.

Based on the results, it is shown that degradation of the Bt genes and proteins fairly correlated with the treatment intensity.

The research article is published in Food and Chemical Toxicology.