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Comment
. 2022 Nov 11;3(11):727-729.
doi: 10.1016/j.medj.2022.10.006.

Fields to fermentors: Brewing botanical chemotherapeutic precursors using genetically engineered yeast

Prashanth Srinivasan  1 , Christina D Smolke  2
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Comment

Fields to fermentors: Brewing botanical chemotherapeutic precursors using genetically engineered yeast

Prashanth Srinivasan et al. Med. .
Free article

Abstract

Plants are a rich source of chemotherapeutics and other essential medicines, but plant-based drug supply chains are unsustainable. Writing in Nature, Zhang et al.1 demonstrated a proof-of-concept alternate source of the anticancer drug vinblastine by engineering yeast to convert sugar and amino acids into its direct precursors, catharanthine and vindoline.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests C.D.S. is a founder and CEO of Antheia, Inc.

Comment on

  • A microbial supply chain for production of the anti-cancer drug vinblastine.
    Zhang J, Hansen LG, Gudich O, Viehrig K, Lassen LMM, Schrübbers L, Adhikari KB, Rubaszka P, Carrasquer-Alvarez E, Chen L, D'Ambrosio V, Lehka B, Haidar AK, Nallapareddy S, Giannakou K, Laloux M, Arsovska D, Jørgensen MAK, Chan LJG, Kristensen M, Christensen HB, Sudarsan S, Stander EA, Baidoo E, Petzold CJ, Wulff T, O'Connor SE, Courdavault V, Jensen MK, Keasling JD. Zhang J, et al. Nature. 2022 Sep;609(7926):341-347. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05157-3. Epub 2022 Aug 31. Nature. 2022. PMID: 36045295 Free PMC article.

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