Recent advances and perspectives in biosynthesis of paclitaxel: key enzymes and intermediates

Plants represent a natural source of diverse secondary metabolites with anticancer activities. Among these metabolites, paclitaxel (Taxol®), a well-known chemotherapeutic agent isolated from Taxus spp., is widely used in the treatment of multiple types of cancers. However, the low endogenous content of paclitaxel and the high complexity of its biosynthetic process render both plant extraction and total chemical synthesis inadequate to meet the growing market demand. To address this challenge, researchers have been actively exploring heterologous expression systems as feasible alternative production strategies. Advances in genetic engineering, microbial fermentation technology, and bioinformatics have significantly enhanced paclitaxel yields. This review highlights recent progress in paclitaxel production, with particular emphasis on research advancements related to enzymes that play critical catalytic roles in its biosynthetic pathway, as well as emerging trends in synthetic biology strategies for the biosynthesis of key intermediates. Collectively, these studies provide theoretical support for the sustainable production of paclitaxel and pave the way for future drug development targeting cancer.