The Development Of Databases On GMO Safety Assessment And Detection Methods

With the rapid development of modern biotechnology, more than one hundred events of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been developed and approved for commercialization in global area. However, consumers are concerning about the safety of GMO, and more and more governments enforce the GMO safety regulation and labeling. And various protein and nucleic acid-based detection techniques have been developed and utilized for GMOs identification and quantification. Thus, databases providing this kind of information for harmonization and standardization at global level are greatly needed.We have developed two databases on GMO safety assessment detection methods. The two databases cover a range of 140 GM events, which is nearly the number of all commercialized GMOs. Safety assessment database mainly engages in collecting GMO general information (including event name, OECD UI, trade name, taxon, transformation method, and developer), gene mechanics, protein expression, molecular characterization, environmental safety assessment, food safety assessment. While detection method database has collected almost all the previous developed and reported GMOs detection methods, including nearly 400 nucleic acid-based methods, which have been grouped by different strategies (screen-, gene-, construct-, and event-specific), and 30 protein-based methods, which mainly includes ELISA and Lateral Flow Strip methods. In this database, users can obtain the 49 sequences of exogenous integration, which will facilitate PCR primers and probes design. Also the information on 43 endogenous genes from 17 taxa, 100 certified reference materials and reference molecules, and the validation status of developed methods is included in this database. Furthermore, registered users can also submit new detection methods and sequences to this database, and the newly submitted information will be released soon after being checked.GMO safety assessment database is available at http://www.shgmo.org, and detection method database is available at http://gmdd.shgmo.org.