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Biosynthesis of Taxol: Enzymatic Acetylation of 10-Deacetylbaccatin-III to Baccatin-III in Crude Extracts from Roots ofTaxus baccata

https://doi.org/10.1006/bbrc.1996.1751Get rights and content

Abstract

The biosynthesis of taxol is a multistep process. One intermediate reaction is the acetylation of 10-deacetylbaccatin-III (10-DAB) to baccatin-III, an assumed precursor of taxol. Here we describe the cell free acetylation of 10-DAB in crude extracts from roots ofTaxus baccatasaplings using14C- or3H-labeled acetyl-coenzyme A as the acetyl donor. The reaction is strictly dependent on the addition of 10-DAB and is specific for the 10-hydroxyl group of the taxane ring. Formation of radiolabeled baccatin-III was confirmed by co-chromatography of the labeled product with authentic baccatin-III in different TLC-systems and HPLC. Furthermore, the acetylation product showed an identical UV spectrum as authentic baccatin-III. Crude extracts from cambium of stems yielded three- to fivefold lower activity. This is in agreement with our finding that the taxol titer in roots was considerably higher than that in cambium.

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Abbreviations used: HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; TLC, thin layer chromatography; 10-DAB, 10-deacetyl baccatin-III.

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