Molecular Confirmation of Transgenic Events in Plants

Generating a transgenic crop is an elaborate process, as it involves not only genetic transformation and regeneration but also identification of a transgenic event using various molecular techniques. A transformation may result in the integration of one or more transgenes. These events sometimes involve integration of truncated bits, vector backbone, chromosomal translocations, and inverted repeats. Integration of more copies or inverted repeats often leads to silencing of the transgene. The chromosomal location of integration could also influence the expression of the transgene. Heterologous expression of the proteins may also influence its activity. The random integration of the transgene can exert pleiotropic effect on the host plants, as a consequence of which the phenotype of the plant could be compromised. Such transgenic events though are undesirable, fetching the details of their site of integration can lead to the discovery of the function of the unintentionally knocked-out innate gene. This chapter focuses on the aforementioned possibilities of transgene integration and the various molecular techniques to identify the presence, expression, and stability of the transgene.