New Genomics Tools Broaden Applications of RNA Expression Analysis

New Genomics Tools from Applied Biosystems Broaden Applications of RNA Expression Analysis

Expanded Coverage of Species Aids Disease Research and Agricultural Studies

Applied Biosystems, a division of Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE), today announced the release of a new set of genomic analysis tools to aid disease research and agricultural studies. These tools are available through the latest release of the TaqMan(R) Gene Expression Assays product line to evaluate levels of RNA expression in model organisms including cows, chickens, horses, pigs, rabbits, and rice.

These new pre-designed TaqMan assays will allow researchers to expand their applications of real-time PCR-based gene expression analysis. The assays will enable genomic analysis of plants for agricultural studies to improve crop yield and of animals for herd management. Also, assays for species such as chickens, rabbits, pigs, and cattle will help to advance both animal and human disease research.

For example, scientists at Michigan State University are applying RNA expression analysis to study mastitis, a disease that frequently afflicts dairy cattle, costing farmers billions of dollars a year. This team of researchers is using Custom TaqMan^(R) Gene Expression Assays to characterize genes involved with tissue inflammation associated with this disease. They have also been able to use the cow as a model for studying the genetic basis of inflammation in human diseases such as cardiovascular disease.

The newest release of TaqMan Gene Expression Assays broadens Applied Biosystems' collection of more than 1 million pre-designed assays across 15 different species. Applied Biosystems will continue to add to its catalog of pre-designed assays for species and organisms relevant to critical research applications. TaqMan Gene Expression Assays are available through Applied Biosystems' website.

Lorraine Sordillo, Ph.D., a Veterinary Immunologist, College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University

"Evaluating the meaning of quantitative changes in gene expression will provide valuable insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the process of inflammation. The pre-designed TaqMan Gene Expression Assays for bovines will make it easier for us to characterize functionally important genes for diseases affecting cattle and humans and give us confidence in the accuracy of our data."

Sam Raha, Vice President of Applied Biosystems' Genomic Assays Business at Life Technologies

"By expanding the species coverage in our portfolio of gold-standard TaqMan Gene Expression Assays, we are providing more scientists with access to technology that gives high-confidence results and accelerates their research. These new molecular tools are part of our ongoing commitment to apply our assay design expertise to help scientists focus on their biological research instead of technology development."

Applied Biosystems Leadership in Molecular Biology Systems

Applied Biosystems is a global leader in providing innovative instrument systems to accelerate academic and clinical research, drug discovery and development, pathogen detection and forensic DNA analysis. It is a market leader in RNA expression analysis tools that include a complete line of TaqMan assays and arrays, and a family of real-time PCR systems. Applied Biosystems, along with Invitrogen - a leading provider of platform independent, essential life science technologies for disease and drug research, bioproduction and diagnostics - is part of Life Technologies. Together, Applied Biosystems and Invitrogen provide the broadest portfolio of RNA analysis tools available from a single company. Applied Biosystems and Invitrogen products are used in nearly every major laboratory in the world.

For more information, please visit: www.appliedbiosystems.com and www.invitrogen.com.