Natural rubber made from the latex of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis is characterized by an extremely high elasticity and tensile strength, and cannot be completely replaced by synthetic rubber. However, natural rubber production is currently reaching its limit due to a rapidly growing worldwide demand, and in addition natural rubber from the rubber tree can provoke a strong allergic reaction. The alternative could be Russian Dandelion (Taraxacum koksaghyz).
The group project »LaKaZell« of the Westfalian Wilhelms University of Münster (WWU), the Technical University of München (TUM) and the firm Phytowelt GreenTechnologies GmbH, Nettetal, has succeeded in establishing a dandelion cell culture capable of producing natural latex. An antigen test of the dandelion latex showed that none of the rubber tree’s antigens are present. Therefore dandelion latex causes none of the known latex allergies. In other respects dandelion latex possesses comparable characteristics to rubber tree latex.
Labeling experiments on rubber biosynthesis of dandelion cells conducted for the project showed an unmistakable dependence on the mevalonate metabolic pathway. As multiple genes for the key enzymes of this synthetic route could be characterized, the possibility of optimizing the synthesis rate for rubber exists. Furthermore, starting points were found for increasing the activity of cis-prenyltrans-ferases, which act as catalyzers in the polymerization of isoprene units. To this extent the »LaKaZell« project offers a biotechnological whole-cell production process for allergy-free latex, and thus the possibility to meet the growing demand for latex.
Project Operation:
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
Institut für Biologie und Biotechnologie der Pflanzen
Schlossplatz 55
48143 Münster
Telefon 0251|83-22302
dpruefer@uni-muenster.de
www.uni-muenster.de
Cooperation Partner:
Technische Universität München, München
presse@tum.de
www.tum.de
Phytowelt GreenTechnologies GmbH, Nettetal
contact@phytowelt.com
www.phytowelt.com
Ref. 13255
