Inverse PCR and quantitative PCR as alternative methods to Southern blotting analysis to assess transgene copy number and characterize the integration site in transgenic woody plants

One of the major unanswered questions with respect to the commercial use of genetic transformation in woody plants is the stability of the transgene expression over several decades within the same individual. Gene expression is strongly affected by the copy number which has been integrated into the plant genome and by the local DNA features close to the integration sites. Because woody plants cannot be subjected to selfing or backcrossing to modify the transgenic allelic structure without affecting the valuable traits of the cultivar, molecular characterization of the transformation event is therefore crucial. After assessing the transgene copy number of a set of apple transgenic clones with Southern blotting, we describe two alternative methods: the first is based on inverse PCR (i-PCR) and the second on the quantitative PCR (q-PCR). The methods produced comparable results with the exception of the data regarding a high copy number clone, but while the q-PCR based system is rapid and easily adaptable to high throughput systems, the i-PCR based method can provide information regarding the transformation event and the characteristics of the sequences flanking the transgenic construct.