Corncob was hydrolyzed with Trichoderma reesei cellulase and used as substrate for growth by the oleaginous yeast Trichosporon dermatis without detoxification or addition of a nitrogen source or trace elements. A total biomass of 24.4 g/L with a lipid content of 40.1% (corresponding to a lipid yield of 9.8 g/L), and a high lipid coefficient (lipid yield per mass of sugar, % g/g) of 16.7 could be achieved after cultivation for 7 days. Therefore, T. dermatis is a promising strain for microbial oil production from lignocellulosic biomass. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.