Overexpression of squalene synthase in Eleutherococcus senticosus increases phytosterol and triterpene accumulation

Squalene synthase catalyzes the first enzymatic step from the central isoprenoid pathway towards sterol and triterpenoid biosyntheses. The metabolic engineering of E. senticosus for enhanced production of phytosterols and triterpenoids by introducing the PgSS1 gene was successfully achieved by Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation.