(280d) Engineering Yeast As the Platform to Characterize and Engineer Biosynthesis of Phytosterols and Derivatives

Phytosterols and their derivatives are of pharmaceutical significance, and essential for plant growth and developments. It is highly challenging to obtain these phytosterol-derived triterpenoids due to the natural low abundance and complex structures. Recent development in phytochemical production in yeast implies a sustainable and feasible sourcing alternative to these high-value plant molecules. However, the biosynthesis of many phytosterol-derived triterpenoids such as brassinosteroids and withanolides, remains largely unknown. Therefore, we engineered baker’s yeast to efficiently produce phytosterol (e.g. campesterol), to serve as a platform to elucidate the function of candidate downstream enzymes.