Consolidated bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass: Technological advances and challenges

[Display omitted] •Lignocellulosic biomass can be directly converted into valuable products via CBP.•Single vessel decreases the infrastructure input, hence enabling economic feasibility.•A potential microbe or consortium could be instrumental for efficient CBP.•Bioengineering is a potential tool to obtain a robust microbial cell factory. Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) is characterized by a single-step production of value-added compounds directly from biomass in a single vessel. This strategy has the capacity to revolutionize the whole biorefinery concept as it can significantly reduce the infrastructure input and use of chemicals for various processing steps which can make it economically and environmentally benign. Although the proof of concept has been firmly established in the past, commercialization has been limited due to the low conversion efficiency of the technology. Either a native single microbe, genetically modified microbe or a consortium can be employed. The major challenge in developing a cost-effective and feasible CBP process is the recognition of bifunctional catalysts combining the capability to use the substrates and transform them into value-added products with high efficiency. This article presents an in-depth analysis of the current developments in CBP around the globe and the possibilities of advancements in the future.