Molecular Studies of the Protein Complexes Involving -Prenyltransferase in Guayule (), an Alternative Rubber-Producing Plant.

Guayule () is a perennial shrub in the Asteraceae family and synthesizes a high quality, hypoallergenic -1,4-polyisoprene (or natural rubber; NR). Despite its potential to be an alternative NR supplier, the enzymes for -polyisoprene biosynthesis have not been comprehensively studied in guayule. Recently, implications of the protein complex involving -prenyltransferases (CPTs) and CPT-Binding Proteins (CBPs) in NR biosynthesis were shown in lettuce and dandelion, but such protein complexes have yet to be examined in guayule.