Apiotrichum mycotoxinivorans integrates xylose and lignin conversion into lipids for sustainable biofuel production

Lignocellulosic biomass represents the largest renewable carbon resource but remains underutilized due to poor xylose assimilation and lignin recalcitrance. This study investigates the oleaginous yeast Apiotrichum mycotoxinivorans for its ability to co‐convert xylose and lignin into lipids. Cultures at 37 °C on maltose, xylose or purified lignin showed that the strain achieved a high growth cycle on xylose, with HPLC confirming ∼75 % xylose consumption at 96 h, and maintained 60–80 % of that biomass when grown solely on lignin, while accumulating lipids up to 42 % of dry cell weight. Confocal imaging revealed morphological shifts facilitating intracellular oil‐body formation. Transcriptomic profiling uncovered coordinated induction of high‐affinity sugar transporters, dual xylose‐assimilation pathways, enhanced non‐oxidative pentose phosphate flux, lignin‐depolymerizing enzymes, aromatic funneling enzymes, lipid biosynthesis genes and energy/redox balancing networks. Together, these data demonstrate a robust, integrated metabolic network that enables simultaneous sugar and aromatic polymer valorization into high‐value lipids. A. mycotoxinivorans thus emerges as a promising microbial chassis for consolidated bioprocessing of lignocellulosic feedstocks into biofuels, supporting sustainable energy and carbon‐neutral strategies.