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Taxoids: Biosynthesis and in vitro production
Priti Maheshwari1,
Sarika Garg2
and Anil Kumar3*
1Faculty
of Arts and Science, Department of Biological Sciences,
4401, University Drive,
University
of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1K 3M4, Canada.
2Max
Planck Unit for Structural Molecular Biology, c/o DESY,
Gebaüde 25b,
Notkestrasse 85, D- 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
3School
of Biotechnology, Devi Ahilya University, Khandwa Road
Campus, Indore – 452001, India.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
ak_sbt@yahoo.com. Fax:
91-731-2470372. Phone: 91-731-2470372, 91-731-2470373.
Accepted
23 June, 2008. |
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Taxoids
viz. paclitaxel and docetaxel are of commercial importance
since these are shown to have anti-cancerous activity. These
taxoids have been isolated from the bark of Taxus
species. There is an important gymnosperm, Taxus
wallichiana (common name, ‘yew’) used for the isolation
of taxoids. Due to cutting of the trees for its bark,
population of the plant species are threatened to be
endangered. Therefore, these are required to be protected
globally. Plant cell culture techniques have been exploited
for the isolation of mutant cell lines, production of
secondary metabolites and genetic transformation of the
plants. In vitro, culture of Taxus not only
helps in conservation but is also helpful in the production
of paclitaxel and other taxoids. Various strategies tested
globally for the commercial production of taxoids are
discussed. Different Taxus species, their origin,
diterpenoids obtained from different parts of the tree and
their applications are discussed. Although, detailed taxoid
biosynthetic pathway is not well known, an overview of the
pathway has been described. Micropropagation of Taxus
and regeneration of transgenic plants has been described.
Although, several protocols have been reported for the
production of some important taxoids, a rapid, reproducible
and economically viable protocol required for the efficient
production of taxoids has yet to be established.
Supplementation of the biotic and abiotic elicitor(s) to the
cell suspension cultures of Taxus has been shown to
increase the growth of the cell biomass as well as
paclitaxel production due to pathway stimulation. Up-scaling
of Taxus cell lines capable of over-producing taxoids
could only make the industrial production of paclitaxel
feasible. Here, we have reviewed Taxus wallichiana
cell cultures in terms of their capabilities of biomass and
secondary metabolites production.
Key
words:
Docetaxel, paclitaxel, taxanes, taxus. |
