title: Taxol from Pestalotiopsis microspora, an endophytic fungus of Taxus wallachiana.
abstract: Pestalotiopsis microspora was isolated from the inner bark of a small limb of Himalayan yew, Taxus wallachiana, and was shown to produce taxol in mycelial culture. Taxol was identified by spectroscopic and chromatographic comparisons with authentic taxol. Optimal taxol production occurred after 2-3 weeks in still culture at 23 degrees C. [14C]Acetate and [14C]phenylalanine served as precursors for fungal [14C]taxol. These observations on P. microspora are discussed in relation to the biological importance of taxol production by fungi in general.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strobel
authors.affiliation: Departments of Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
authors.forename: Xianshu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Departments of Plant Chemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.affiliation: Oncology Drug Discovery, Wyeth-Ayerst Research, Pearl River, NY 10965, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.affiliation: Cytoclonal Pharmaceutics Inc., 9000 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75235, USA.
authors.forename: Rajinder S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sidhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Range Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84601, USA.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hess
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001709:Biotechnology; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D017753:Ecosystem; D005285:Fermentation; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010649:Phenylalanine; D017239:Paclitaxel; D019342:Acetic Acid