Production of paclitaxel by Fusarium solani isolated from Taxus celebica.

A fungus was isolated from the stem cuttings of Taxus celebica, which produced paclitaxel in liquid-grown cultures. The fungus was identified as Fusarium solani based on colony characteristics, morphology of conidia and the 26S rDNA sequence. Paclitaxel was identified by chromatographic and spectroscopic comparison with authentic paclitaxel and its cytotoxic activity towards Jurkat cells in vitro.