A joint research team involving RIKEN (Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), Osaka University and Kobe University has developed a GM potato that is incapable of producing toxic alkaloids such as solanine. The function of the genes related to solanine and other alkaloids has been inactivated using RNA interference (RNAi) technology. RNAi is a technology that inactivates the function of genes by making a double chain of what is usually a single chain in RNA. The US J.R. Simplot Company has already developed and is initiating cultivation of an acrylamide-reduced potato using this technology. The GM potato developed by RIKEN's team not only contains less alkaloids, but also has a suppressed germination effect. Similar developments will be pushed forward in the future through the use of genome editing technology. (RIKEN: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research 2016/7/26)

Immune-Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. of Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, which has developed technology for the production of large amounts of various types of proteins using GM silkworms, is to set up a pilot plant. Since silkworm fiber (silk thread) is a high-quality protein, this technology has thus far been used to develop a method for producing a variety of value added proteins, such as research-use test reagents, diagnostic antibody preparations, and pharmaceutical proteins. The company now aims to start up mass production of these proteins. (Nikkei Biotech 2016/7/27)