article title: Rubber from dandelions: Key components in formation of rubber identified
Inside the milky, white fluid of a dandelion are the ingredients t create rubber. There is a specific protein responsible for the biosynthesis of the main component of rubber - polyisoprene. Dr. Christian Schulze Gronover from the Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Münster branch, has said that they have discovered in the dandelion a second protein that is also responsible for creating a rubber compound. Thus far it has not been possible to create natural rubber technologically but with the new research, the possibility is slowly becoming a reality. In the unit we studied in class, we were learning about chemicals that existed naturally and organically. Scientists have discovered inside of a dandelion, 2 key proteins for the formation of rubber. Polyisoprene is a naturally occurring compound with the chemical formula :
The structure is very similar to those we studied in class due to the "cis" and "trans" isomers. The compound is organic and found naturally. The dandelion produces two proteins that are essential to the production of rubber, and scientists are getting closer to be able to exploit this property of dandelions.