Simultaneous detoxification and fermentation of teak wood hydrolysate by oxidation of phenolics with a surface‐displayed heterologous laccase expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract BACKGROUND The use of laccases to oxidize phenolics found in biomass hydrolysates is gaining interest in the biorefinery concept because this biological detoxification method makes them less inhibitory to fermenting microorganisms, thereby increasing the productivity of metabolites of interest. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a heterologous fungal laccase displayed on the cell wall surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in detoxifying concentrated and diluted teak wood hydrolysate (TWH), supplemented with glucose. RESULTS The yeast strain demonstrated the ability to oxidize phenolics in the TWH through the laccase present on the cell surface, thereby enhancing ethanol production parameters when compared to the control strain, which did not express laccase. Kinetic analysis of cell growth and ethanol production by the control strain indicated its capability to grow and produce ethanol at TWH concentrations of 20% and 40% (v/v). In contrast, the strain expressing laccase displayed the ability to grow and produce ethanol from TWH at concentrations of up to 80%, reducing the phenolic concentration by as much as 54%. CONCLUSION The results observed indicate that the improvement in the strain's performance regarding cell growth and ethanol production in diluted TWH is due to the simultaneous oxidation of phenolics by the laccase exhibited during the fermentation. However, even with the expression of laccase, the strain could not thrive in concentrated hydrolysate due to additional inhibitors, such as furans and organic acids, which were not addressed by laccase and may have had an inhibitory effect on the cells, acting either independently or synergistically. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).