Current location:world >>
Chinese scientists achieve breakthrough in biosynthesis of anticancer drug paclitaxel
world57654People have gathered around
Introduction(Xinhua) 15:02, January 26, 2024BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have broken through ...
BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have broken through the critical technological bottleneck in the biosynthesis of the anticancer drug paclitaxel, paving the way for sustainable biomanufacturing of this medicine.
The study, led by Yan Jianbin, a researcher at the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen (AGIS) under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), was published in the latest issue of the academic journal Science.
Paclitaxel, a natural anti-tumor product with an exceptionally complex and unique molecular structure, is widely used in the clinical treatment of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and other cancers. It is the world's best-selling plant-based anticancer drug and one of the few plant-based drugs capable of controlling the growth of cancer cells, said Yan.
In nature, paclitaxel can only be extracted from the rare and endangered gymnosperm of the Taxus genus of plants. A Taxus plant grows very slowly, usually taking decades or even hundreds of years to become a big tree. In addition, the content levels of paclitaxel-like substances in Taxus plants are extremely low. All these factors posed great difficulties for the further utilization of paclitaxel, Yan said.
The research team aimed to tackle the challenge of paclitaxel biosynthesis. In 2021, Yan's group mapped out the first high-quality reference genome of Taxus mairei in the world, which provided a genomic blueprint and key candidate genes for decoding the paclitaxel biosynthesis pathway. The relevant research results were published in the journal Nature Plants.
On this basis, the research team further screened and identified the essential candidate genes and successfully discovered the most critical and previously unknown enzyme in the paclitaxel biosynthesis pathway, elucidating the mechanism of paclitaxel pharmacological structure formation and establishing a paclitaxel biosynthesis pathway.
Additionally, the key enzymes of paclitaxel biosynthesis and the reconstruction method of the synthetic route involved in the research, are of great significance in guiding the genetic breeding of Taxus and the efficient use of germplasm resources, experts said.
The elucidation of the metabolic pathway responsible for the synthesis of paclitaxel had been an unsolved problem for many years. The Chinese research group managed to fill the gaps in the paclitaxel synthesis pathway. Besides constituting a very important contribution to basic science, this development is also significant for opening the way for the more effective and cheaper synthesis of the taxol drug, as well as for the new ability to synthesize many derivatives in search of more potent anticancer drugs, said Gregory Stephanopoulos, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.
"This finding is a major breakthrough in our understanding of the biosynthesis of complex natural products, and it will enable our abilities to produce other valuable natural products at scale and thereby develop new and valuable medicines," said Jens Nielsen, a professor at the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
The research team found a green and sustainable paclitaxel production method that does not require the consumption of natural Taxus resources. Developing a green and environmentally friendly strategy for the biosynthesis of paclitaxel is of great significance for treating cancers in China, said Deng Zixin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
"Chinese scientists have reached a new milestone in the field of synthetic biology after two decades of exploration. I believe that as long as we continue to focus on relevant research, we will gain a new understanding of the essence of life and new prospects for synthetic biomanufacturing," said Zhao Guoping, a CAS academician.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Global Gestures news portal”。http://malaysia.whychurchofchrist.com/news-98c599873.html
Related articles
After Barstool Sports sponsorship fizzles, Snoop Dogg brand is attached to Arizona Bowl, fo shizzle
worldTUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Snoop Dogg is putting his name on the Arizona Bowl for what will be the first p ...
【world】
Read moreHilary Swank reveals it would be a 'great opportunity' for a trans actor to play her Oscar
worldHilary Swank revealed that she hopes a trans actor would take on her role in Boys Don't Cry if the f ...
【world】
Read moreColton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit back
worldKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit back-to-back homers for Baltimore off ...
【world】
Read more
Popular articles
- Merlier wins Giro Stage 3 after Pogacar fires up finale and stays in the lead
- Phillies finish three
- Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon placed on 10
- Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit back
- Stars and DeBoer moving on after ousting Cup champ Vegas in tight 7
- Will there be a 'superbloom' this year in California? Here's what to know
Latest articles
The foods that cancer experts want you to stop eating
Barcelona midfielder De Jong leaves 'clasico' on a stretcher after right leg injury
3 hospitalized after knife attack on party boat in New York City along Brooklyn waterfront
Rosanna Arquette gushes over Pulp Fiction co
Husband of Florida woman missing in Spain is charged with her disappearance
Fiorentina wins 2
LINKS
- Narváez outsprints Giro d'Italia favorite Pogačar to win opening stage in Turin
- Kansas has a new border security mission and tougher penalties for killing police dogs
- Ben Yedder scores two as Monaco beats Clermont 4
- Alabama court won't revisit frozen embryo ruling
- Gas and propane stoves linked to 50,000 cases of childhood asthma, study finds
- A look back at all the times Margot Robbie has served as a bridesmaid
- After fourth wettest April ever, now Scotland gets… WILDFIRES!
- Troyes fans and players throw flares at each other after 2nd
- Britney Spears breaks silence after 'huge bust
- Troyes fans and players throw flares at each other after 2nd