To overcome the negative impact of the fungicide application, RB gene, originated from Solanum bulbocastanum, a resistance gene to the disease has been introduced to the genome of potato plant Katahdin, which was later named as Katahdin SP951. The aims of the research were to confirm the RB gene in the genetically modified plant (GMP) Katahdin SP951 through resequencing the RB gene in the Katahdin SP951 genome and to align the RB genes isolated from the transgenic Katahdin SP951 and the cloning vector pLCD0454, which was used the vector to transform Katahdin cultivar. The RB gene has high similarity to other resistance genes in potato plants, and therefore nontransgenic Katahdin, and Solanum bulbocastanum were used in the analysis as the negative and positive control, respectively. Seven pairs of specific primers, which could differentiate the RB gene were used for gene sequencing studies. The sequencing experiments obtained 2913 bases which showed 100% similarity to the RB sequence isolated from the pLCD04541 plasmid. It is concluded that the RB gene in the Katahdin SP951 did not experience mutation during transformation process and integration into the Katahdin genome.Keywords: RB gene, potato, sequence confirmation.
ABSTRAKPenanaman kentang transgenik dapat mengurangi penggunaan fungisida. Gen RB, yang merupakan gen ketahanan terhadap patogen penyakit hawar daun (Phytophthora infestans), telah berhasil diisolasi dari tanaman kentang liar S. bulbocastanum dan disisipkan ke dalam genom tanaman kentang varietas Katahdin, yang kemudian dinamai klon Katahdin SP951. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengonfirmasi keberadaan gen RB dalam genom tanaman kentang transgenik Katahdin SP951 dengan cara menyekuen gen tersebut dari tanaman kentang Katahdin SP951, dan kemudian membandingkannya dengan sekuen gen RB dari plasmid pCLD04541 yang digunakan untuk mentransformasi Katahdin dan mengandung gen RB. Katahdin nontransgenik dan S. bulbocastanum secara berurutan digunakan sebagai kontrol negatif dan positif. Hasil PCR mendapatkan tujuh primer yang spesifik terhadap gen RB dan kemudian digunakan untuk sekuensing. Hasil sekuensing berupa urutan DNA sepanjang 2.913 basa yang memiliki kesamaan 100% dengan urutan gen RB pada plasmid pCLD04541. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa gen RB tidak mengalami mutasi, baik dalam proses transformasi maupun pada waktu integrasi ke dalam genom kentang varietas Katahdin.Kata kunci: Gen RB, kentang, konfirmasi sekuen.