The invention pertains to a method for preparing cells that can be used as biocatalysts by inducing in them a growth-decoupled state, in which interferase inhibits the expression of genes except the ones that code for the pathway enzymes of interest. mRNAs that code for interferase-resistant products are overexpressed in the background of a metabolically-frozen cell. Enzymes that compete for a substrate or product of the pathway of interest may be altered such that the enzyme is sensitive to a site-specific protease, which protease is inducible in the host cell.