Michael Crichton's 1969 science fiction thriller The Andromeda Strain and the 1971 film of the same name ficticiously describe/depict a Phantom F-4 where a biological agent recovered from a satellite and subsequently mutated degrades and destroys rubber-like materials in the aircraft including the pilot's oxygen mask, and eventually the pilot as well.

In this clip from the film an expert at the site of the crash says:

There is no actual rubber on the phantom F-4 general. It’s all a synthetic plastic compound called “polychron”. It has some of the characteristics of human skin.

In the beginning of the film the organism would only crystallize the blood of human (and other animals) leaving the victim dead but without other outward visible signs (except for the scene near the beginning where one of the scientists checks one seated victim for "settling" of blood in the buttocks.)

What exactly happened that caused the organism to be able to become so destructive to synthetic rubber and plastic and human flesh?