Molecular and Morphological Characterization of a Taxol-Producing Endophytic Fungus,<i>Gliocladium</i>sp., from<i>Taxus baccata</i>

Abstract

The endophytic fungal populations of different tissues of Taxus baccata grown at high altitudes in West Bengal, India were explored. These isolated fungal populations represented different genera, which were screened for taxol production using immunoassay technique. The culture AAT-TS-41 that produced taxol was identified as Gliocladium sp. based on its cultural, morphological characteristics, internal transcribed spacer, and 18S rRNA sequence analysis. Kinetics of taxol production as a function of culture growth were investigated.