Baccatin III

Baccatin III is an isolate of the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia) and related species. Baccatin III is a precursor to the anti-cancer drug paclitaxel (Taxol).

In 2014, researchers reported introduction and expression of the endophytic fungal gene responsible for synthesizing baccatin III (10-deacetylbaccatin III 10-O-acetyltransferase), to the mushroom Flammulina velutipes. Researchers achieved the same accomplishment with Escherichia coli in 2000.