Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Crop Improvement and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #246913
Title: IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMPOSITION AND GROWTH OF IN VITRO NATURAL RUBBER USING HIGH RESOLUTION SIZE EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY

Author
item CHIANG, KURT - University Of Akron
item HEIDENREICH, ANDREW - University Of Akron
item PUSKAS, JUDIT - University Of Akron
item Xie, Wenshuang
item McMahan, Colleen

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/25/2008
Publication Date: 10/14/2008
Citation: Chiang, K.C., Heidenreich, A., Puskas, J., Xie, W., Mcmahan, C.M. 2008. IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMPOSITION AND GROWTH OF IN VITRO NATURAL RUBBER USING HIGH RESOLUTION SIZE EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY. American Chemical Society Rubber Division, 174th Technical Meeting, October 14-16, 2008, Louisville, KY.

Interpretive Summary: Natural rubber is used in critical applications (medical, aircraft tires, etc.) where it cannot be substituted by synthetics due to its superior performance. Chemical synthesis of a polymer that has the same properties as natural rubber has been the objective of polymer researchers for decades. Synthetic polyisoprene is sold commercially today of very high cis 1,4 stereochemical structure; however, the near 100% cis content found in natural rubber has never been achieved. Studies of biosynthesis of natural rubber are leading to new insights in catalysis mechanisms.

Technical Abstract: Recently, Puskas et al. have proposed that the molecular mechanism of natural rubber (NR) biosynthesis is carbocationic polymerization, with living characteristics. To acquire further insight into the mechanism, in vitro NR biosynthesis experiments were performed at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with combinations of enzymatically active rubber particles from H. brasiliensis (RRIM600), isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), and metal cofactors (Mg2+). In this study, high-resolution Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) was used to monitor the growth of in vitro natural rubber.