PCR CONFIRMATION OF THE cry1Ac GENE IN TRANSGENIC BT (Bollgard) COTTON

Transgenic cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner δ-endotoxin genes has been widely adopted for suppression of lepidopteran pests. To account for inconsistency of the endotoxin gene expression, we developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for checking the purity of transgenic cotton plants. A total of eight cry1Ac genes were aligned for the PCR primer design. A DNA fragment was amplified from Bt cotton, sequenced, and confirmed to be a portion of the Bt gene. A total of 150 cotton plants representing five cultivars were examined for the presence of the Bt gene. Results demonstrated that all of these cotton plants harbored the Bt endotoxin gene.