Abstract

Elastomers correspond to a wide group of polymers, which are mostly obtained from non-renewable sources, such as crude oil. However, natural rubber is extracted from plant sources, such as Hevea brasiliensis and Parthenium argentatum, among others. In fact, several plants synthesize cis-1,4-polyisoprene through rubber transferase. Nevertheless, environmental, and social issues related with natural rubber difficult its integration in a circular economy approach. Therefore, this work is aimed to the understanding the fundamental aspects of the biosynthesis of cis-1,4-polyisoprene, as well as its biological degradation. Regarding the bacterial degradation, the use of bacteria genus, such as Gordonia, Mycobacterium, Nocardia and Streptomyces for degrading natural rubber, is boarded. Likewise, fungal degradation carried out by fungi species such as Aspergillus, and Penicillium genus is reviewed. The advances related to the isolation of Latex clearing protein (Lpc) and Rubber oxygenase A from Gram-positive Streptomyces sp. 30 and Xanthomonas sp. 35 Y, respectively, also are revised. Additionally, the processes, reactions and additives used in natural rubber for its use in different applications and how they can hinder the degradation of this material are boarded. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.