Taxol and taxane production by Taxomyces andreanae, an endophytic fungus of Pacific yew

Taxomyces andreanae, a fungal endophyte, was isolated from the phloem (inner bark) of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia. The fungus is hyphomyceteous and, when grown in a semi-synthetic liquid medium, produced taxol and related compounds. Taxol was identified by mass spectrometry, chromatography, and reactivity with monoclonal antibodies specific for taxol. Both [1- ¹⁴C]acetic acid and L-[U-¹⁴C]phenylalanine served as precursors of [¹⁴C]taxol in fungal cultures. No taxol was detected in zero-time cultures or in the small agar plugs used to inoculate the culture flasks.