title: The search for a taxol-producing microorganism among the endophytic fungi of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia.
abstract: Endophytic microbes associated with the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, were examined as potential sources of the anticancer drug taxol [1], a secondary metabolite of the host organism. The first promising organism found was the novel fungus, Taxomyces andreanae, which was isolated from the inner bark of a yew tree growing in northwestern Montana. It appears to produce taxol and other taxanes in de novo fashion when grown in semi-synthetic liquid media. The presence of 1 in the fungal extract was confirmed by mass spectrometry, comparative chromatographic behavior with "yew" taxol, reactivity with taxol-specific monoclonal antibodies, and 9KB cytotoxicity studies. Both acetate-1-14C and phenylalanine UL-14C served as precursors of taxol-14C in fungal culture labeling studies, confirming the de novo synthesis of 1 by the fungus. Immunoassay techniques are currently being used to screen extracts of Taxomyces andreanae for new taxanes, and to determine if other endophytic fungi are taxol producers.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000382:microbiology*; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017239:Paclitaxel