Methods of producing mogrosides and compositions comprising same and uses thereof

A method of synthesizing a mogrol or mogrol precursor product from a mogrol precursor substrate, the method comprising contacting at least one mogrol precursor substrate with a mogroside pathway enzyme, wherein:

• (a) when said mogrol precursor product comprises diepoxy squalene and said mogrol precursor substrate comprises squalene or oxidosqualene, said mogroside pathway enzyme comprises a squalene epoxidase polypeptide at least 94% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 14 or 89% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 16, wherein said polypeptide catalyzes diepoxysqualene synthesis from squalene or oxidosqualene, thereby producing diepoxy squalene,
• (b) when said mogrol precursor product comprises 3 hydroxy, 24-25 epoxy cucurbitadienol and said mogrol precursor substrate comprises diepoxy squalene, said mogrol pathway enzyme comprises a cucurbitadienol synthetase polypeptide at least 60% homologous or identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 12, thereby producing a 3 hydroxy, 24-25 epoxy cucurbitadienol,
• (c) when said product comprises 3, 24, 25 trihydroxy cucurbitadienol and said substrate comprises 3-hydroxy, 24-25 epoxy cucurbitadienol, the mogrol pathway enzyme comprises an epoxy hydratase polypeptide at least 75% identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 18, SEQ ID NO:
• 22 or SEQ ID NO:
• 24, said polypeptide catalyzing 3, 24, 25 trihydroxy cucurbitadienol synthesis from 3-hydroxy, 24-25 epoxy cucurbitadienol, thereby producing a 3, 24, 25 trihydroxy cucurbitadienol,
• (d) when said product comprises mogrol and said mogrol precursor substrate comprises 3, 24, 25 trihydroxy cucurbitadienol, said mogrol pathway enzyme is Cytochrome P 450 enzyme at least 60% homologous or identical to SEQ ID NO:
• 10, thereby producing 3, 11, 24, 25 tetrahydroxy cucurbitadienol (mogrol).