- RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Modified baker’s yeast can produce a precursor for a drug that is usually derived from an endangered plant and its relatives.
The endangered plant Sinopodophyllum hexandrum is among the sources of a precursor for two cancer therapies. Credit: Felis Images/Nature Picture Library
Every year, millions of people take the drugs etoposide and teniposide, which are used to treat cancers of the lung, blood and other organs. But the process of manufacturing both drugs is low-yield and complicated. It also relies on precursors from plants in the subfamily Podophylloideae, including the endangered plant Sinopodophyllum hexandrum (also known as Podophyllum hexandrum), which is native to high-altitude Himalayan regions. Now, researchers have detailed a new pathway for making the drugs — with help from baker’s yeast1.
Access options
Access through your institution
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
27,99 € / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscription info for Chinese customers
We have a dedicated website for our Chinese customers. Please go to naturechina.com to subscribe to this journal.
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02428-1
References
Subjects
Latest on:
- Synthetic biology
-
Towards the construction of a virtual yeast
Perspective
-
A Streptomyces megacluster encodes synergistic biotin-targeting antibiotics
Article
-
De novo design of miniproteins targeting GPCRs
Article