As the largest renewable aromatic resource, lignin is a promising feedstock for production of value-added products. However, lignin valorization has not been implemented due to the recalcitrant and heterogeneity of lignin. Herein, this work provides a systematic overview of bacterial lignin valorization for producing value-added products from the viewpoint of a cascaded conversion route. The combinatorial depolymerization strategy facilitates the yield of a lignin-derived aromatic stream suitable for the bacterial conversion. Bacterial active transports are curial to improve the uptake of lignin-derived aromatics. Intracellular metabolic pathways of bacteria assimilate heterogenous lignin-derived aromatics through “biological funnel” into central aromatic intermediates. These intermediates can be effectively metabolized in bacteria through aromatic ring cleavage pathways to enable the biosynthesis of various value-added products. The techno-economic analysis highlights that bacterial conversion improves the feasibility of co-production of value-added products from lignin. Therefore, the bacterial cascaded conversion routes hold great promise for upgrading heterogeneous lignin into value-added products and thus contribute to the profitability of lignin valorization.

作为最大的可再生芳烃资源，木质素是一种很有前景的用于生产增值产品的原料。然而，由于木质素的顽固性和异质性，木质素增值尚未实施。在此，这项工作从级联转化路线的角度系统地概述了用于生产增值产品的细菌木质素增值。组合解聚策略有助于产生适合细菌转化的木质素衍生芳烃流。细菌主动转运对于提高木质素衍生芳烃的吸收非常重要。细菌的细胞内代谢途径通过“生物漏斗”将异质木质素衍生的芳烃同化为中心芳烃中间体。这些中间体可以通过芳香环裂解途径在细菌中有效代谢，从而实现各种增值产品的生物合成。技术经济分析强调，细菌转化提高了木质素联合生产增值产品的可行性。因此，细菌级联转化路线对于将异质木质素升级为增值产品具有很大的前景，从而有助于木质素增值的盈利能力。