From Xylose to Biobased High-Value Chemicals: Advances in Microbial Xylose Utilization for Industrial Biotechnology

Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is a plentiful resource, and its effective utilization is essential for mitigating resource scarcity. Xylose, the second most abundant sugar in LCB after glucose, is present in significant quantities. Nevertheless, its current utilization is markedly lower than that of glucose. Although microbial conversion of LCB into high-value products is promising, inefficient xylose metabolism remains a bottleneck. Advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology techniques offer powerful tools to improve microbial xylose utilization. In this review, we summarize recent research progress in microbial xylose metabolism, emphasizing xylose metabolic pathways, metabolic engineering strategies, and the production of high-value chemicals derived from xylose. We also discuss future opportunities to overcome key challenges, including efficient xylose extraction from LCB, coutilization of glucose and xylose, and enzyme and pathway optimization. These insights aim to support the development of more efficient bioconversion processes for xylose and contribute to the broader utilization of lignocellulosic feedstocks.