Advancement of mannosylerythritol lipids production: enhancement and tailor-made production through genetic modification of producing yeasts.

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are biosurfactants produced by basidiomycetous yeasts. They are attracting attention not only as surfactants with excellent surface activity but also as environmentally friendly and circular materials that are biodegradable and can be produced from renewable resources. This review focuses on the improvement of MELs production through genetic modification of MELs producers and summarizes studies addressing the challenges associated with expanding MELs use, including reducing production costs through increased productivity and expanding structural variety through tailor-made production.