Engineered yeast cells efficiently convert ergosta-5-eneol to pregnenolone and progesterone provided that endogenous pregnenolone acetylase activity is disrupted and that heterologous sterolD7-reductase, cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage (CYP11A1) and 3b hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/isomerase (3b-HSD) activities are present. CYP11A1activity requires the expressionof themammalian NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase (Adrp) and adrenodoxin (Adxp) proteins as electron carriers.