Ginsenoside Compound K (CK) has been recognized as a major functional component that is absorbed into the systemic circulation after oral administration of ginseng. CK demonstrates diverse bioactivities. A phase I clinical study indicated that CK was a potential candidate for arthritis therapy. However, a phase II clinical study was suspended because of the high cost associated with the present CK manufacturing approach, which is based on the traditional planting-extracting-biotransforming process. We previously elucidated the complete CK biosynthetic pathway and realized for the first time