Enzymatic synthesis of rubber polymer in Hevea brasiliensis

Conference · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Plant Physiology, Supplement; (United States)

OSTI ID:5591679

Tang, F; Hu, S; Benedict, C R ^[1]

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1. Texas A and M Univ., College Station (United States)

Light and Dennis purified serum soluble rubber transferase from Hevea latex to homogeneity. Prenyl transferase co-purified with rubber transferase. In the absence of washed rubber particles (WRP) the prenyl transferase catalyzed the formation of trans FPP from DMAPP and IPP. In the presence of WRP the transferase catalyzed cis additions of IPP to pre-existing rubber chains. Control mixtures of WRP, Mg{sup 2+} and FPP were not included to test for the contributions of the bound rubber transferase on WRP to the incorporation of IPP into polyisoprene. Bound rubber transferase catalyzes the repetitive addition of IPP to allylic-PP starter molecules to form polyisoprene. The order of utilization of allylic-PP starters was GGPP > FPP > GPP > DMAPP. The authors have shown that the polyisoprene enzymatically synthesized on WRP is a bimodal polymer consisting of different mol wt rubber chains similar to the polymeric characteristics of natural rubber. The bound rubber transferase was solubilized with Chaps and purified on DEAE-cellulose. The polymerization reaction catalyzed by the purified preparation showed a 98% requirement for pre-existing rubber chains. Results suggest that the prenyl transferase from Hevea serum may be part of the polymer starter system furnishing allylic-PP for the bound rubber transferase.

• OSTI ID: 5591679
• Report Number(s): CONF-9107184--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Plant Physiology, Supplement; (United States) Journal Volume: 96:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090900* -- Biomass Fuels-- Processing-- (1990-)
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DIENES
ELASTOMERS
ENZYMES
HYDROCARBONS
ISOPRENE
KINETICS
NATURAL RUBBER
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
POLYENES
POLYMERIZATION
POLYMERS
PROTEINS
REACTION KINETICS
RUBBERS
SYNTHESIS
TRANSFERASES