Efficient Mitochondrial Genes in the Characterization of Meat Species Applying PCR-RFLP Technique

Abstract

Identification of meat and meat mixture has a substantial role either economically, on religious side, or public health concern. This study focused on the application of the PCR-RFLP technique to differentiate between mixtures of different animal species in raw and cooked meat. Animal species meat ixtures used in the present study were beef, donkey, dog, poultry meat, and mechanical deboned meat (MDM). The amplification of the required region of mitochondrial genes, 12S rRNA gene, 16S rRNA gene, and cytochrome b (Cyt-b) gene using pairs of universal primers were done by PCR. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was done by subsequently digesting the amplified PCR product using two restriction endonucleases (AluI and HinfI). All species and mixtures at different ratios could be discriminated using the two restriction enzymes giving rise to distinct banding patterns on an agarose gel. The cooking of different mixtures affects the banding number in the 12S rRNA and cytochrome b (Cyt-b) gene. The 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA genes, and Cyt-b genes of mitochondrial genome using PCR-RFLP method may be used for identification of meat mixtures.