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Current and Emerging Options for Taxol Production

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Biotechnology of Isoprenoids

Part of the book series: Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology ((ABE,volume 148))

Abstract

Paclitaxel (trademark “Taxol”) is a plant-derived isoprenoid natural product that exhibits potent anticancer activity. Taxol was originally isolated from the Pacific yew tree in 1967 and triggered an intense scientific and engineering venture to provide the compound reliably to cancer patients. The choices available for production include synthetic and biosynthetic routes (and combinations thereof). This chapter focuses on the currently utilized and emerging biosynthetic options for Taxol production. A particular emphasis is placed on the biosynthetic production hosts including macroscopic and unicellular plant species and more recent attempts to elucidate, transfer, and reconstitute the Taxol pathway within technically advanced microbial hosts. In so doing, we provide the reader with relevant background related to Taxol and more general information related to producing valuable, but structurally complex, natural products through biosynthetic strategies.

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Abbreviations

BMS:

Bristol-Myers Squibb

DOE:

Design of experiments

DMAPP:

dimethylallyl diphosphate

DXS:

1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase

FDA:

Food and Drug Administration

FPP:

farnesyl diphosphate

FPPS:

farnesyl diphosphate synthase

GGPPS:

geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase

HMG-CoA:

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA

IPP:

isopentenyl diphosphate

ispD :

4-diphosphocytidyl-2-C-methyl-D-erythritol synthase

ispF :

2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase

IDI:

isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase

IND:

Investigational new drug

MEP:

2C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate

MVA:

Mevalonate

NCI:

National Cancer Institute

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA

    Yi Li, Guojian Zhang & Blaine A. Pfeifer

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  1. Yi Li
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  2. Guojian Zhang
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  3. Blaine A. Pfeifer
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Correspondence to Blaine A. Pfeifer .

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  1. Bioverfahrenstechnik, DECHEMA-Forschungsinstitut, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Jens Schrader

  2. Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Jörg Bohlmann

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Li, Y., Zhang, G., Pfeifer, B.A. (2014). Current and Emerging Options for Taxol Production. In: Schrader, J., Bohlmann, J. (eds) Biotechnology of Isoprenoids. Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, vol 148. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/10_2014_292

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