Analysis of metabolites and metabolic mechanism in Bt transgenic and non-transgenic maize

Abstract The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to isolate and identify metabolites of non-transgenic and Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic maize. The non-targeted metabolomics technique was used to analysis the metabolic pathway and mechanism of two kinds of maize. The methanol was used as extractant and the N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide was used as derivatization reagent. 38 kinds of metabolites were isolated and identified from non-transgenic maize, and 61 kinds of metabolites were isolated and identified in Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic maize. The specific metabolites between non-transgenic and Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic maize were analyzed. The metabolic pathway of specific metabolites was analyzed by KEGG annotation. The metabolic mechanism of non-transgenic maize and Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic maize was explored. The result indicated there were more metabolites involved in metabolic pathways in Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic maize than in non-transgenic maize, and tricarboxylic acid cycle and energy metabolism pathways of Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic maize are found to be higher than that of non-transgenic maize. The metabolic pathway of Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic maize conforms to the biological activity law.