Takara Bio Inc. (President and CEO : Ikunoshin Kato, Ph.D.) releases two kinds of meat discrimination kits, (1) Bovine Sexing Kit and (2) Meat Species (cattle, pig, chicken, horse, and sheep) Identification Kit, using Real Time PCR systems with Cycling Probe technology (CycleavePCR™).

These kits can provide certification of so-called brand beef prescribing male and female distinction and species of the source animals. And indication of kinds of meats as raw materials in meat products is prescribed with the Food Hygiene Law, and simple and easy discrimination method of meat species is expected.

(1) Bovine Sexing Kit
(TaKaRa CycleavePCR™ Bovine Sexing Kit , for research use)

As for the sex chromosome, there are X-chromosome and Y-chromosome. Females have two copies of X-chromosome, and males have one copy of X-chromosome and one copy of Y-chromosome. Females have none of Y-chromosome. Therefore, females are expressed as XX and males are expressed as XY. The amelogenin genes exist on both X- and Y-chromosome, and each of them has unique sequence. On basis of their sequences, it is judged to be female when only a X- specific amelogenin gene was detected, and it is judged to be male when both of X- and Y- specific amelogenin gene were detected. Thus, bovine sexing can be done quickly (in about 40 min.) by detecting X- and Y- specific amelogenin genes with this kit.

(2) Meat Species (cattle, pig, chicken, horse, and sheep) Identification Kit
(TaKaRa CycleavePCR™ Meat Species Identification Kit, for research use)

This kit can discriminate meats of cattle, pig, chicken, horse, and sheep quickly (in about 40 min.) based on the polymorphism of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene domains among animal species.

Both kits avoid electrophoresis steps as in conventional test systems through use of Real Time PCR on Smart Cycler sold by Takara Bio in Japan. The Bovine Sexing Kit will go on sale on February 17, and the Meat Species Identification Kit on March 3.

The kits for detecting anthrax, E. coli O-157, Salmonella and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are now on sale as the CycleavePCR™ Kits series. Takara Bio is planning to develop a variety of other CycleavePCR™ kits.

About Takara Bio Inc.
Takara Bio Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company based in Shiga, Japan. As a world leader in biotechnology research and development, Takara Bio was the first company to market PCR technology in Japan and is also the developer of the RetroNectin™ reagent, which is a world-standard in gene therapy protocols. In addition to providing research reagents and equipment to the life science research market, Takara Bio has active research and product development activities in the fields of gene and cell-based therapy, and agricultural biotechnology; and is committed preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology. Through strategic alliances with other industry leaders, the Company aims to extend its reach around the world. More information is available at http://www.takara-bio.com.

For more information:
Corporate Communications
Takara Bio Inc.
E-mail: bio-ir@takara-bio.co.jp

This article is translated from press release in Japanese for your convenience.

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