Comparative study of electrophoretic patterns of latex proteins from clones of Hevea brasiliensis.

Latex serum proteins from Hevea brasiliensis were studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Proteins from whole serum and fractions isolated by gel chromatography on Ultrogel AcA 44 were analyzed. No qualitative clonal differences were found in the protein patterns of whole latex or in the fractions but laser densitometry revealed reliable quantitative differences in protein composition. Reproducible mobilities and molecular weights of selected bands were obtained both within single gels as well as in different gels, analyzing several lots of latex received at various times from a Hevea experimental field station. The clones compared were IAN 710, GV 31, GV 42; the first one had the highest rubber yields.