Thepresentstudywasdesignedtodeterminetheeffectsofcopynumbervariations(CNVs)ofsqualenesynthase1(SQS1)geneonthemevalonate(MVA)pathway.SQS1genefromG.uralensis(GuSQS1)wasclonedandover-expressedinPichiapastorisGS115.SixrecombinantP.pastorisstrainscontainingdifferentcopynumberofGuSQS1wereconstructed.HPLCwasusedtoassaythelevelofergosterolinalltransgenicP.pastorisstrainscontainingGuSQS1.HPLCanalysisshowedthatthecontentsofergosterolinallofthetransgenicP.pastoriscontainingGuSQS1werehigherthanthatinthenegativecontrol.AndwiththeincreaseofcopynumberofGuSQS1,thecontentofergosterolshowedanincreasing-decreasing-increasingpattern.Thecontentsofergosterolin10-copy-GuSQS1P.pastorisand47-copy-GuSQS1P.pastorisweresignificantlyhigherthanthatintherestrecombinantP.pastorisstrains.Inconclusion,theCNVsofGuSQS1influencethecontentofsecondarymetabolitesintheMVApathway.Thepresentstudyprovidesabasisforover-expressingGuSQS1andincreasingthecontentofglycyrrhizininG.uralensiscultivars.
