Method to obtain low triterpene/triterpenoid-containing natural rubber latex

A method of increasing the content of a triterpene precursor, a triterpenoid precursor, or both triterpene and triterpenoid precursors, of latex or rubber from a laticiferous plant or part thereof, comprising genetically modifying the laticiferous plant or part thereof, such that the activity of at least one oxidosqualene cyclase is reduced, compared to a like laticiferous plant or part thereof that has not been genetically modified by at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence that is capable of reducing the activity of the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase,

• wherein the laticiferous plant or part thereof is genetically modified by at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence that is capable of reducing the activity of the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase,
• wherein the at least one heterologous nucleotide sequence encodes at least one RNAi that interferes with the mRNA encoding the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase, with the proviso that the at least one RNAi is capable of reducing the activity of the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase,
• wherein the at least one RNAi is specifically directed against the mRNA transcript of the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase and thereby affects the presence of the protein of the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase,
• wherein the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase is selected from the group consisting of an amino acid sequence being at least 99% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs:
• 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20, and
• wherein the at least one RNAi comprises or consists of the nucleotide sequence being at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or SEQ ID NO:
• 2,
• wherein the at least one RNAi attaches individually or binds to the mRNA transcript of the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase,
• wherein the at least one RNAi comprising or consisting of a nucleotide sequence being at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 1 is specifically directed against the mRNA transcript of the at least one oxidosqualene cyclase selected from the group consisting of an amino acid sequence being at least 99% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs:
• 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20, and
• wherein the at least one RNAi comprising or consisting of a nucleotide sequence being at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 2 is specifically directed against the mRNA transcript of the oxidosqualene cyclase of an amino acid sequence being at least 99% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 4.