[Advances of taxol combinatorial biosynthesis]

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

• Taxol, a potent anticancer isoprenoid, is scarce in nature, limiting its clinical application.
• Low natural concentrations of Taxol hinder widespread use in cancer treatment.
• Biosynthesis presents a viable alternative for sustainable Taxol production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in Taxol biosynthesis across diverse biological systems.
• To identify bottlenecks in the scale fermentation of Taxol intermediates.
• To analyze the potential of the Physcomitrella patens system for combinatorial biosynthesis.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of microbial (Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and plant systems (Physcomitrella patens, Arabidopsis, tomato, ginseng) for Taxol biosynthesis.
• Focus on challenges in scaling up fermentation processes for key intermediates.
• Comparative analysis of different systems, with emphasis on Physcomitrella patens.

Main Results:

• Several biological systems have been investigated for Taxol precursor and Taxol production.
• Scale fermentation for intermediate production remains a significant bottleneck.
• The Physcomitrella patens system shows potential for combinatorial biosynthesis of Taxol.

Conclusions:

• Biosynthesis is crucial for overcoming Taxol's natural supply limitations.
• Further research is needed to optimize scale fermentation for Taxol intermediate production.
• Physcomitrella patens offers a promising platform for future Taxol combinatorial biosynthesis strategies.