Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – From plant material of unknown constitution
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-05-22
Nutter, Nathan M. (Department: 1711)
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
From plant material of unknown constitution
C528S931000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06235860
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a natural rubber product and a production method using whole plant, latex serum, proteins of fig tree(
Ficus carica
).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Natural rubber is a polymer composed of 320 to 35,000 isoprene molecules that are enzymatically linked in a head-to-tail configuration. A large number of plant species contain rubber, including
Hevea brasiliensis, Parthenium argentatum
(guayule) and
Ficus elastica.
Rubber is formed as a branch of the isoprenoid pathway in these plants. Proteins including rubber transferase and rubber elongation factor are required for sequential addition of isopentenyl pyrophosphate units to the growing polyisoprene chain to provide a high molecular weight polymer. In
H. brasiliensis, Parthenium argentatum,
and
Ficus elastica,
rubber transferase and rubber elongation factor are tightly associated with rubber particles where the chain elongation reaction occurs (Madhavan and Benedict, Plant Physiol. 75: 908-913 (1984); Light and Dennis, J. Biol. Chem. 264: 18589-18597 (1989); Siler and Cornish, Phytochem. 32: 1097-1102 (1993)).
Natural rubber (cis-1,4-polyisoprene) is a raw material of choice for heavy-duty tires and other industrial uses requiring elasticity, flexibility and resilience. Among more than 2,000 natural rubber producing plant species (Backhaus, Israel J. Botany 34: 283-293 (1985)), the Brazilian rubber tree (
Hevea brasiliensis
) is the only commercially viable source of natural rubber. However, diminishing acreage of rubber plantation and life-threatening latex allergy to Hevea rubber in hypersensitive individuals, coupled with increasing demand, make development of alternative rubber source imperative. In recent years, guayule (
Parthenium argentatum
Gray) which accumulates rubber in the parenchyma cells and contains high molecular weight rubber comparable to
H. brasiliensis
(Bowers, USDA Report (1990)) has attracted research interest as an additional source for natural rubber.
P. argentatum
Gray has been considered as a commercially viable rubber source for hypoallergenic latex (Cornish, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,717,050; 5,580,942). However, guayule has limitation as an alternative rubber crop due to slow volume growth and low abundance of rubber particles. Therefore, the search for an effective alternative rubber producing plants has continued. The present invention relates to the synthesis of natural rubber from alternative source of rubber plant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses that
Ficus carica
produces natural rubber and the whole latex and/or proteins associated with rubber particles can produce high molecular weight rubber from allylic diphosphate initiator and isopentenyl diphosphate. In accordance with this discovery, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of making rubber by utilizing latex serum and proteins obtained from such alternative sources. It is another object of the present invention to provide a rubber product made according to the method. Other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5717050 (1998-02-01), Cornish
Benedict, C.R. et al., “The Enzymatic Synthesis of Rubber Polymer in Parthenium argentatum Gray”Plant Physiol, vol. 92, 1990 pp. 816-821, (No month).
Corinish, K. et al., “Immunoinhibition of Rubber Particle-Bound Cis-Prenyl Transferases in Ficus Elastica and Parthenium Argentatum”Phytochemistry, vol. 35, No. 6, pp 1425-1428 1994. (No month).
Light, D. et al., “Purification of a Prenyltransferase That Elongates cis-Polyisoprene Rubber from the Latex ofHeva brasiliensis” The Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 264, No. 31 Issue of Nov. 5, pp. 18589-18597, 1969. (No month).
Siler, D. et al., “A Protein From Ficus Elastica Rubber Particles is Related to Proteins fromHevea Brasiliensisand Parthenium Argentatum”Phytochemistry, vol. 32, No. 5 pp. 1097-1102, 1993. (No month).
Ahmed, W. et al., “Two Triterpenes from the Leaves ofFicus carica” Israel Journal of Botany, vol. 34, 1985, pp. 283-293 1985. (No month).
Madhavan, S. et al., “Isopentenyl Pyrophosphate cis-1.4-Polyisoprenyl Transferase from Guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray)”Plant Physiol, vol. 75, pp. 908-913 1984. (No month).
Ji, Wan et al., “Seasonal Variations in Rubber Biosynthesis, 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, and Rubber Transferase Activities in Pathenium argentatum in the Chihuahuan Desert” Plant Physiol. 103_535-542 (1993).
Stewart, W.D, et al., “Synthesis of Rubber by Fungi” Science vol. 122:1271-72 (1995).
Stipanovic, Robert D., et al., “Natural Rubber from Sunflower” J. Agric. Food Chem. 28:1322-1323 (1980).
Han Kyung-Hwan
Kang Hun-Seung
Korea Kuhmo Petrochemical, Co.
Mathews, Collins, Shepherd & Gould
Nutter Nathan M.
LandOfFree
Natural rubber product from fig tree and production method... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Natural rubber product from fig tree and production method..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Natural rubber product from fig tree and production method... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2456052