Administering cultured Taxus cells with early precursors reveals bifurcations in the taxoid biosynthetic pathway

The order of acylation and hydroxylation of the early precursor 5α-hydroxytaxa-4(20),11(12)-diene determines the efficiency of conversion to 13α-hydroxy taxoids (e.g. Taxol) and 14β-hydroxy taxoids (e.g. taxuyunnanine C).