Methylotrophic yeasts for chemicals production using methanol as substrate: Current status, challenges, and...

Methanol, an inexpensive and renewable feedstock, has garnered significant attention in the green biomanufacturing industry. The bioconversion of methanol to chemicals offers a promising way to combat the food crisis and mitigate climate change. Methylotrophic yeasts, which are promising candidates, have a natural compartmentalized ability to utilize methanol, effectively reducing the toxic effects of methanol metabolism on cells. This review comprehensively summarizes the recent progress in the bioconversion of methanol for chemical production using methylotrophic yeasts. Furthermore, a series of feasible strategies are proposed to address the challenges of low utilization of methanol, cytotoxicity of methanol and its derivative formaldehyde, and oxidative stress. Finally, the future development directions of methylotrophic yeasts are outlined.