Mixed bioengineering-chemical synthesis approach for the efficient preparation of Δ7-dafachronic acid.

Combining bioengineering with chemical synthesis has enabled an efficient method for producing Δ7-dafachronic acid, a steroidal hormone associated with nematode germline longevity. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was engineered to produce 7,24-cholestadienol, a convenient starting material for a four-step synthesis of Δ7-dafachronic acid.