Biomaterial Database

Taxol production and taxadiene synthase activity in Taxus canadensis cell suspension cultures. 1997

M Hezari, and R E Ketchum, and D M Gibson, and R Croteau

Institute of Biological Chemistry, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-6340, USA.

The cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to taxa-4(5),11(12)-diene represents the first committed, and a slow, step in the complex biosynthetic pathway leading to the anticancer drug Taxol. The cyclization enzyme, taxadiene synthase, has been previously purified from Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) stem and characterized, and the corresponding cDNA has been isolated. To better assess the role of taxadiene synthase in the control of pathway flux in Canadian yew (T. canadensis) cells, a reliable system for production of Taxol in suspension culture, the enzyme from this source was isolated and shown to be chromatographically, electrophoretically, and kinetically identical to that of T. brevifolia stem. Results from the analysis of enzyme activity levels during the time course of Taxol accumulation in developing cell cultures of T. canadensis indicate that rate-limiting transformations lay farther down the pathway than the cyclization step in this system.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007535	Isomerases	A class of enzymes that catalyze geometric or structural changes within a molecule to form a single product. The reactions do not involve a net change in the concentrations of compounds other than the substrate and the product.(from Dorland, 28th ed) EC 5.	Isomerase
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D010946	Plants, Medicinal	Plants whose roots, leaves, seeds, bark, or other constituent parts possess therapeutic, tonic, purgative, curative or other pharmacologic attributes, when administered to man or animals.	Herbs, Medicinal,Medicinal Herbs,Healing Plants,Medicinal Plants,Pharmaceutical Plants,Healing Plant,Herb, Medicinal,Medicinal Herb,Medicinal Plant,Pharmaceutical Plant,Plant, Healing,Plant, Medicinal,Plant, Pharmaceutical,Plants, Healing,Plants, Pharmaceutical
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D003470	Culture Media	Any liquid or solid preparation made specifically for the growth, storage, or transport of microorganisms or other types of cells. The variety of media that exist allow for the culturing of specific microorganisms and cell types, such as differential media, selective media, test media, and defined media. Solid media consist of liquid media that have been solidified with an agent such as AGAR or GELATIN.	Media, Culture
D014197	Trees	Woody, usually tall, perennial higher plants (Angiosperms, Gymnosperms, and some Pterophyta) having usually a main stem and numerous branches.	Tree
D017239	Paclitaxel	A cyclodecane isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, TAXUS BREVIFOLIA. It stabilizes MICROTUBULES in their polymerized form leading to cell death.	7-epi-Taxol,Anzatax,Bris Taxol,NSC-125973,Onxol,Paclitaxel, (4 alpha)-Isomer,Paxene,Praxel,Taxol,Taxol A,7 epi Taxol,NSC 125973,NSC125973,Taxol, Bris