biostudies-literatureSenatore VGMinistero dell'Istruzione e del MeritoEstonian Research CouncilUniversità degli Studi di Milano - BicoccaEuropean Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programmeNextGenerationEUEuropean COST programmeEuropean Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programmeMinistero dell'Istruzione e del Merito114https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12062128biostudies-literatureUnknown109(1)The agro-food chain produces an impressive amount of waste, which includes not only lignocellulosic biomass, but also plastic, used for both protective films and packaging. Thanks to advances in enzymatic hydrolysis, it is now possible to imagine an upcycling that valorizes each waste through microbial fermentation. With this goal in mind, we first explored the ability of the oleaginous red yeast Rhodotorula toruloides to catabolize ethylene glycol (EG), obtained by the hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in the presence of glucose in batch bioreactor experiments. Secondly, we focused on the physiology of EG catabolism in the presence of xylose as a sole carbon source, and in a mixture of glucose and xylose. Our results show that EG is metabolized to glycolic acid (GA) in all tApplied microbiology and biotechnologyEthylene glycol metabolism in the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides.PMC12062128RE.4.09.22-0041PRG11012020SBNHLHAction Nº CA18229ECS 000037101036838Senatore VGLahtvee PJMapelli VBranduardi PRekena AfalseEthylene glycol metabolism in the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides.The agro-food chain produces an impressive amount of waste, which includes not only lignocellulosic biomass, but also plastic, used for both protective films and packaging. Thanks to advances in enzymatic hydrolysis, it is now possible to imagine an upcycling that valorizes each waste through microbial fermentation. With this goal in mind, we first explored the ability of the oleaginous red yeast Rhodotorula toruloides to catabolize ethylene glycol (EG), obtained by the hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in the presence of glucose in batch bioreactor experiments. Secondly, we focused on the physiology of EG catabolism in the presence of xylose as a sole carbon source, and in a mixture of glucose and xylose. Our results show that EG is metabolized to glycolic acid (GA) in all t2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 May2026-06-06T23:39:41.274Z2026-06-06T03:11:02.087ZS-EPMC120621284033831310.1007/s00253-025-13504-3