This disclosure is in the technical field of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. More particularly, this disclosure is in the technical field of fermentation of metabolically engineered yeast or fungal cells. This disclosure describes a method for the extracellular production of a di- or oligosaccharide that is derived from UDP-GlcNAc by a yeast or fungal cell as well as the separation of the di- or oligosaccharide from the cultivation. Furthermore, this disclosure provides a metabolically engineered yeast or fungal cell for extracellular production of a di- or oligosaccharide that is derived from UDP-GlcNAc and that is synthesized in the cytosol.

The present invention relates to the field of bio-production of chondroitin. There is a need in the art for chondroitin production methods allowing its highly efficient synthesis and secretion. The solution proposed in the present invention is the use of a recombinant cell, in particular a recombinant yeast, comprising many modifications as described in the present text. The present invention further proposes methods allowing the bio-production of chondroitin using the recombinant cell, in particular a recombinant yeast, of the invention.