Display of cellulases on the cell surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for high yield ethanol production from high-solid lignocellulosic biomass

► Economically feasible ethanol production process requires high-titer ethanol. ► High-solid cellulosic materials were fermented using a cellulase-displaying yeast. ► Pretreated biomass was converted to ethanol with 89% theoretical yield within 72 h. ► Cell-surface engineering successfully reduced commercial enzyme addition. ► The yeast hydrolyzed cellulose that was not hydrolyzed by commercial cellulase.