Table 2.

Literature analysis of isoprenoid compounds generated heterologously^a

Compound	Heterologous host	No. of articles	Yr of first report
Paclitaxel (taxadiene)	E. coli	11	2001
	S. cerevisiae	9	2006
Artemisinin (amorphadiene)	E. coli	24	2003
	S. cerevisiae	18	2006
Carotenoid (lycopene)	E. coli	158	1986
	S. cerevisiae	9	1994
Carotenoid (zeaxanthin)	E. coli	64	1990
	S. cerevisiae	2	2009
Carotenoid (astaxanthin)	E. coli	35	1995
	S. cerevisiae	4	2009

^aResults of a search conducted (26 October 2011) using the PubMed database with either “coli” or “cerevisiae” in conjunction with the molecules in parentheses. The numbers include both primary research and review articles and may include articles not directly related to heterologous biosynthesis. However, the results illustrate the differences in compound-specific host choice and the associated volume of research since heterologous biosynthesis was initiated.