Targeted metabolite profiling to evaluate unintended metabolic changes of genetic modification in resveratrol-enriched rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Resveratrol-enriched rice (RR) includes the stilbene synthase gene for resveratrol synthesis and the phosphinothricin- N -acetyltransferase gene for glufosinate tolerance. To investigate unintended effects resulting from RR’s genetically modified chemical composition, 56 polar and nonpolar secondary metabolites were analyzed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in RR and conventional non-transgenic rice. Rice was cultivated during two seasons along three representative climatic regions in the Republic of Korea. Principal components analysis was used to visualize chemical composition differences among rice samples. The results showed that chemical composition was more influenced by growing year and location than by whether or not the rice was transgenic. Pearson’s correlations and hierarchical clustering analysis also indicated no difference in the biochemical structures of RR versus non-transgenic rice. In addition, the glufosinate-ammonium treatment did not significantly change RR chemical composition.