The new proprietary Complexity Reduction of Polymorphic Sequences, CRoPSTM, technology developed by Keygene enables large scale polymorphism discovery and detection in higher eukaryotic organisms including plants with very large genomes by a combination of AFLP®-mediated DNA complexity reduction methods and the power of high throughput sequencing.

Keygene selected and purchased the Genome Sequencer 20 system developed by 454 Life Sciences and distributed by Roche Applied Science as the only platform available today with sufficient throughput for the practice of the CRoPSTM method. Keygene will work in close collaboration with 454 Life Sciences to develop other proprietary applications in the field of plant genetics that are unlocked by the use of 454 Life Sciences' technology in combination with Keygene's existing DNA expertise and SNPWaveTM technology. For this, a research collaboration agreement between 454 Life Sciences and Keygene has been executed.

The CRoPSTM technology platform will be presented to the scientific community by Keygene during the Plant & Animal Genome conference in San Diego (January 14-18, 2006).

"The 454 technology, in combination with Keygene's current technology platform, creates many new opportunities that further increase the efficiency of genotyping in plant species, of which the CRoPSTM technology is the first example", says Michiel van Eijk, manager Upstream Research of Keygene.

Arjen van Tunen, CEO of Keygene, adds that "strategically the collaboration with 454 Life Sciences will enable Keygene to maintain its position as a leading DNA company, enabling better solutions for our strategic research partners and customers".

Keygene N.V. is a R&D company with the mission to be the leading company in developing and applying DNA expertise in the field of molecular genetics for its shareholder breeding companies. Keygene has developed a strong proprietary technology platform based on AFLP®, a DNA marker technology for genome analysis, transcript profiling and genetic analysis. For diagnostic purposes, SNPWave™, a multiplexed SNP detection technology was developed. Keygene exploits its proprietary technologies, databases and know-how through contract research and products for applications in the Life Sciences industry and more specifically in innovative breeding applications such as Breeding by Design™. Keygene has five shareholders consisting of major vegetable seed companies that collaborate in the BioSeeds strategic alliance: De Ruiter Seeds, ENZA Zaden, Rijk Zwaan, Vilmorin Clause & Cie and Takii & Co. Keygene has around 100 researchers and staff.

The AFLP® technology, SNPWave™ technology and CRoPS™ technology are covered by patents and/or patent applications of Keygene N.V. AFLP is a registered trademark of Keygene N.V. Applications for trademark registration for Breeding by Design, SNPWave and CRoPS have been filed by Keygene N.V.