The Dandelion Could Prove to Be Source of Hypoallergenic Latex | Checkbiotech

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	View Edit Domain: GreenBio Title: * Body: Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology have genetically modified the dandelion plant, optimising it for natural latex production. <br /> <br /> Suited for large-scale rubber production, the strain of the Russian dandelion could eventually become a prominent source of latex for medical applications. Though latex is used in an array of medical products ranging from catheter tubing to surgical gloves, both synthetic latex and natural latex made from tree rubber can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. The latex made from the Russian dandelion, however, has been shown to not cause allergic reactions in preliminary testing on humans.<br /> <br /> Though Germans, Russians and Americans produced rubber from the dandelion during the Second World War, the latex that seeps out of the plant’s stems upon harvest polymerises immediately, making it difficult to use industrially. Fraunhofer scientists identified the enzyme responsible for the rapid polymerisation and deactivated it. “If the plant is cut, the latex flows out [of the genetically modified dandelion] instead of being polymerised,” says Professor Dr. Dirk Prüfer, Head of Department at the Fraunhofer IME. “We obtain four to five times the amount we would normally,” he says. “If the plants were to be cultivated on a large scale, every hectare would produce 500 to 1000 kilograms of latex per growing season.”<br /> www.fraunhofer.de<br /> <br /> Copyright ©2009 European Medical Device Manufacturer<br /> Captcha: Please Enter Code : * Time Zone: * Select the time zone Vocabularies Newsletter: Domain: Show summary in full view Input format Filtered HTML Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Full HTML Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. news_filter Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. More information about formatting options			Related Articles Precision breeding creates super potato Improving Crops from the Roots Up Farmers battle a super-bug Unseen harvest of gene war on billion-dollar pest Scientists Refute Claim That Genetically Modified Corn Cause... Germans satisfy latex desire with GM dandelions Tech helps dandelions ooze New study reignites debate over GMO safety Bt corn farms expanding More GMO crop propagation seen Top GreenBio Articles

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