Abstract
Genetic modification (GM) is a recent development which allows specific genes to be identified, isolated, copied and inserted into other plants with a high level of specificity. Metabolomics approach, especially MS-based metabolomics approach, is useful to estimate unintended effects on the metabolome by the induced gene(s) in the modified plants, because of the wide-coverage of detection of metabolites. In this study, we conducted metabolite profiling using multiple MS platforms to assay the substantial equivalence of the control tomato (cv. Moneymaker) and the genetically modified tomato, which are over-expressing miraculin in a tomato fruit. We grew tomato plants under two different nutrition conditions, soil and hydroponic culture system. Tomato fruits were harvested on 2006, 2007 and 2008. Metabolite profiles obtained from the three different MS platforms were summarized automatically by MetMask (the metabolitemasking tool), which has been developed as a practical and flexible solution. We will present the results of comparison of GM tomato and other 6 cultivars including Moneymaker.
