Mandatory Genetically Modified Food Labeling

Abstract

Genetically modified organism or GMO is an organism that has had its DNA altered or modified in some way through genetic engineering. In most cases, GMOs have been altered with DNA from another organism, be it a bacterium, plant, virus, or animal; these organisms are sometimes referred to as ‘transgenic’ organisms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used in molecular biology to make several copies of a specific DNA segment. Using PCR on a specific DNA sequence, the process then results in multiple amplified segments of the DNA for later use of the tests. The PCR process runs via denaturing the DNA sample via heating the sample, annealing the DNA proteins, and extending the proteins via the additions of nucleotides that are complementary. Through the experiment Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR, which amplifies DNA) and GMO Investigation allows us to see if the canned food is appropriately labeled.

Introduction

A genetically modified organism or GMO is an organism that has had its DNA altered or modified in some way through genetic engineering. In most cases, GMOs were altered with DNA from another organism, be it a bacterium, plant, virus, or animal; these organisms can be referred to as ‘transgenic’ organisms (Lallanilla, M. (2019). GMO sounds scary yet very impressive. One would assume that a genetically modified organism would be a super soldier or an animal that can withstand intense heat and can fly, but, sadly, this is not the case at all. GMOs are what they use in our food to make the crop more resistant to pesticides, make them bigger, change the color, and more.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used in molecular biology to make several copies of a specific DNA segment. Through using PCR, copies of DNA sequences are exponentially amplified to generate thousands to millions of more copies of that particular DNA segment. PCR was used inside the test tubes after centrifugation in order for the DNA to be amplified for groups to see if the amplified DNA came back up either positive or negative of GMOs. Some of the significant steps involved in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in the DNA sequence are (1)Denaturation by heat–when the double-stranded template DNA is heated to separate it into two single strands. (2)Annealing Primer to Target–when the temperature is lowered to enable the DNA primers to attach to the template DNA. (3)Extending–when the temperature is raised, and the Taq polymerase enzyme makes the new strand of DNA.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and GMO Investigation was the experiment conducted on September 26th among the 20 or so students. The experiment was to see if the canned foods or bagged goods that were labeled ‘GMO free’ were indeed telling the truth. The test was conducted with various materials and methods in order for participants to see if companies and organizations were indeed labeling goods with the truth.

Objective

The objective was to extract DNA from the samples of food that were being determined if it were GMO or non-GMO and could only be determined by a series of trials such as staining, centrifusion and collect viable samples. The experiment is meant to test the presence of GMOs in foods that are labeled as products which “do not use any sort GMO.’

Materials and Methods

The student workstation had two screw caps with 500 mL InstaGene matrix, a beaker of distilled water, food samples which were canned corn, two disposable transfer pipets, two 20 mL micropipette, and a pipet barrier. The water bath was set to 95-100 C, and a microcentrifuge was used to spin the contents to the base of the vile. All materials were used to complete the study.

The screw cap tubes containing 500 mL of the InstaGene matrix were labeled either “non-GMO” and one “test’. Before the food was placed into a mortar, the canned corn needed to be weighed out between .5-2 grams. Using a transfer pipet, our group members added 5 mL of distilled water for every gram of food using the graduations on the transfer pipet (in order to calculate the amount of water, you first need to multiply the mass in grams of the food weighed out). Mass of food=1 gram multiplied by 5=5 mL. The corn needed to be grinded with a pestle for at least 2 minutes until a slurry has formed. After 2 minutes, we needed to add five volumes of water again and mix further with the pestle until the slurry is smooth enough to pipette. 50 mL of the ground slurry was added to the “test” using the 50 mL mark on the transfer pipet.

After calculations of water to every gram of food, we needed to create samples in order to extract the DNA to see if the food content was either positive or negative for GMOs. In a typical GMO experiment, one would need to extract DNA from food samples in order to obtain a result. In our experiment, we utilized two test tubes: one being the “test” and the other as the“non-GMO” tester from the 500 µL of the InstaGene matrix. Firstly, the certified non-GMO food control was measured and placed in a mortar in order to break it down. 5 mL of distilled water was used for each gram of food in order to create a mashable product. The mortar was used right after to grind the food for two minutes until there was a slurry formed. More water was added if needed in order to make the slurry smooth enough to pipet. After, 50 µL of non-GMO were added to a screw cap tube, along with the product in the pipet. The tube was shaken and capped. The same procedure was repeated for the “test” tube, but with a clean mortar so the previous product would not interfere with another test group. Both “non-GMO” and “test” tubes were centrifuged for five minutes before being refrigerated for a week for the following lecture.

In a working Polymerase Chain Reaction, the six tubes which were initially labeled in the experiment would have first been chilled in an ice bath. While the tubes were dropping in temperature, 20 µL of the indicated master mix were added to each test tube. The master mix contained either a green plant (PMM) or a red GMO (GMM). Since there were six test tubes, test tubes 1, 3, and 5 got the PMM, and the other three test tubes (2, 4, and 6) received the GMM. After the tubes were loaded with products, PCR was ready to occur in the thermal cyclers. PCR was used in order to amplify the DNA on the electrophoresis so that the results would show in forms of bands.

Discussion

In a working Polymerase Chain Reaction, the six tubes which were initially labeled in the experiment would have first been chilled in an ice bath. While the tubes were dropping in temperature, 20 µL of the indicated master mix were added to each test tube. The master mix contained either a green plant (PMM) or a red GMO (GMM). Since there were six test tubes, test tubes 1, 3, and 5 got the PMM, and the other three test tubes (2, 4, and 6) received the GMM. After the tubes were loaded with products, PCR was ready to occur in the thermal cyclers. PCR was used in order to amplify the DNA on the electrophoresis so that the results would show in forms of bands. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Reasonings for why the bands were not visible can be due to the factor of human error. Human factors such as misjudging of the measurements of the slurry, or on the InstaGene matrix. Possible other human errors would be the mixing of the samples with possible contaminations with the micropipette.