Strategies for cultivation, enhancing lipid production, and recovery in oleaginous yeasts

[Display omitted] •The cultivation conditions that affect lipid production are discussed.•Key enzymes and genes for lipid production in oleaginous yeasts are introduced.•Current lipid recovery methods and their associated challenges are reviewed.•Applications of lipids and challenges faced in lipid production are introduced. As global consumption of oil increases and environmental pollution worsens, people are becoming more concerned with sustainable energy development and environmental protection. There is an urgent need to find a sustainable and environmentally friendly new source of lipids to produce biodiesel and other products. In recent years, oleaginous yeast has garnered widespread interest due to its high lipid content. Compared with traditional plant oil sources, oleaginous yeast offers several significant advantages. Firstly, its cultivation is not affected by seasonal and climatic conditions. Secondly, yeast cultivation does not require large amounts of arable land. Additionally, oleaginous yeast grows rapidly, has a short production cycle, and can efficiently accumulate lipids. This review introduces several prominent oleaginous yeasts, focusing on the impact of cultivation conditions on lipid production, strategies to enhance lipid yield, and the development of lipid recovery methods.