Bridgestone has successfully decoded the main genome sequence for Hevea brasiliensis, a euphorbiaceous plant material for producing latex – commonly known as the rubber tree – which produces latex. Latex is the natural rubber required for tyre production and a myriad of other important rubber products.
The research breakthrough was accomplished in conjunction with Genome Informatics Laboratory in the National Institute of Genetics (Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture). This new genome data is expected to facilitate development of improved breeding technologies and growing methods for Hevea brasiliensis/natural rubber. These technologies can enable the development of a better clone of the plant and improve the yield and quality of the latex produced. The data also may accelerate research applications in a variety of fields, including the development of a clone with superior disease resistance and stress tolerance.
To accelerate these research activities, Bridgestone has decoded an estimated 1.4 billion base pair (bp) genome for Hevea brasiliensis together with the Genome Informatics Laboratory in the National Institute of Genetics. The sequence data obtained through this research project is estimated to cover more than 90% of the gene-rich regions of the genome. Bridgestone is advancing initiatives in several fields for developing the natural rubber industry.
For example, since February 2011, Bridgestone, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and the Indonesian Technology Assessment and Application Agency have been partnering on international biotechnology projects aimed at increasing natural rubber production. This type of research is not only expected to help increase the productivity of natural rubber but also advance the use of genome science for industry.
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