ENDOPHYTIC TAXOL-PRODUCING FUNGI FROM BALD CYPRESS, TAXODIUM-DISTICHUM

Pestalotiopsis microspora occurs as a range of strains in bald cypress , Taxodium distichum. The organisms live as endophytes in the bark, ph loem and xylem, and isolates show differences in cultural and microsco pic characteristics on common laboratory media, Many of these fungi ma ke taxol as determined by the reactivity of partially purified culture extracts with specific monoclonal antibodies against taxol. In the ca se of one strain of P. microspora (CP-4), taxol was isolated from cult ure medium and was shown to be identical to authentic taxol by chromat ographic and spectroscopic means.