Fig. 2
The cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. (1) Thiolases or acetyl-coenzyme A acetyltransferases, (2) hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase, (3) hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, (4) mevalonate-3-kinase or me- valonate-5-kinase, (5) mevalonate-3-phosphate-5-kinase or phosphomevalonate kinase, (6) mevalonate-5-phosphate decarboxylase, (7) mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase, (8) isopentenyl phosphate kinase, (9) isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase, (10) farnesyl-diphosphate synthase, (11) squalene synthase, or FDFT1, (12) squalene monooxygenase or squalene epoxidase. There are 19 reactions, including multiple demethylations, desaturations, isomerizations, and reductions [44]