title: A simple method for detecting genetically modified maize in common food products.
abstract: A commercially available leaf DNA extraction and amplification kit has been adapted for the detection of genetically modified material in common food products containing maize. Amplification using published primer pairs specific for the Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin and maize invertase genes results in a 226-bp invertase PCR product in all samples (an internal positive control) plus a 184-bp product in samples that are genetically modified with the endotoxin gene. The ease and rapidity of DNA extraction and PCR make this exercise especially suitable for advanced-placement high school or lower division college biology students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, California 95192. cbrinega@email.sjsu.edu.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brinegar
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levee