MEAT SPECIATION BY RESTRICTION-FRAGMENT-LENGTH-POLYMORPHISM ANALYSIS USING AN ALPHA-ACTIN CDNA PROBE

Classical DNA fingerprinting is based on separation of DNA restriction fragments by electrophoresis and hybridisation to nucleic acid probes containing repetitive nucleotide sequences. The use of such mini- or micro-satellite probes tends to yield patterns specific to an individu al rather than to a species, hence their value in forensic analysis bu t general unsuitability for meat speciation. In the present study, a c DNA probe based on conserved sequences contained in members of the act in multigene family has been evaluated for potential application in me at speciation. Genomic DNA was extracted from muscle and digested with BamHI before electrophoresis and hybridisation to a murine alpha-acti n cDNA probe. Beef, pork, lamb, horse, chicken and fish DNA restrictio n fragments formed characteristic fingerprints' which were reproducibl e and varied sufficiently to allow discrimination even between closely -related species. However no major differences were seen between indiv iduals of the same breed or between different breeds within a species. When DNA obtained from fresh tissue and also from meat heated at 120 degrees C was analysed, the gel patterns were essentially the same. An attractive feature of this approach is that it employs a single cross -reacting probe and set of conditions, and gives different patterns wi th all species so far studied. This simplicity suggests applications i n meat speciation or related areas of biology. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce Ltd. All rights reserved.