Transcriptomic profiling of <i>Debaryomyces hansenii</i> reveals detoxification and stress responses to benzo(a)pyrene exposure

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), are long-lasting environmental pollutants with serious health and ecological implications. Although microbial degradation offers a promising strategy for remediation, most efforts have focused on bacterial and filamentous fungal systems, leaving other microbial groups comparatively unexplored. In contrast, extremotolerant yeasts remain largely overlooked despite their inherent resilience. Here, we investigated the marine yeast <i>Debaryomyces hansenii</i> and discovered that it not only tolerates BaP under glucose-limited conditions but also actively degrades it. This response relies on a combination of detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant defenses, reflecting a well-orchestrated metabolic adaptation to chemical stress. Our findings underscore the untapped and promising potential of <i>D. hansenii</i> as a robust option for bioremediation using eukaryotic organisms, particularly in environments where conventional microbes may fail to survive.