Taxol-producing Fungi: A New Approach to Industrial Production of Taxol

Produced by and purified from the Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia, taxol (Paclitaxel) has become a widely used cancer drug in clinics. Due to the rapid growing market, current industrial production of taxol by semi-synthesis that consumes large amount of yew trees cannot meet the demand of the market. The discovery of taxol-producing fungus Taxomyces andeanae, an endophyte of T. brevifolia, by Stierle et al (1993), paves a new way to the production of this drug, that is, employing large-scale fungal fermentation to make taxol at a lower cost, and yet a higher yield. This review discusses the present problems in taxol production in the industry, the findings and research progress on taxol-producing fungi, and the potential application of fungal fermentation in manufacturing this important drug.