Microbial production of triterpenoids including mogrosides

A method for making a triterpenoid, comprising:

• providing a recombinant microbial host cell expressing a heterologous enzyme pathway catalyzing the conversion of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) to one or more triterpenoids, the pathway comprising:
• a farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS),
• a squalene synthase (SQS), wherein the SQS comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 11;
• a squalene epoxidase (SQE), wherein the squalene epoxidase comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 85% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 39;
• and
• culturing the host cell at a temperature within the range of 28° C. to 37° C., and under conditions for producing the triterpenoid;
• wherein the microbial host cell is a bacterium or yeast.