<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>In the biorefinery concept renewable feedstocks are converted to a multitude of value-added compounds irrespective of seasonal or other variations of the complex biomass substrates. Conceptionally, this can be realized by specialized single microbial strains or by co-culturing various strain combinations. In the latter approach strains for substrate conversion and for product formation can be combined. This study addressed the construction of binary microbial consortia based on starch- and sucrose-based production of <SMALL>L-</SMALL>lysine and derived value-added compounds. A commensalism-based synthetic consortium for <SMALL>L-</SMALL>lysine production from sucrose was developed combining an <SMALL>L-</SMALL>lysine auxotrophic, naturally sucrose-negative <I>E. coli</I> strain with a <I>C. glutamicum</I> strain able to produce <SMALL>L</SMALL>-lysine that secretes fructose when grown with sucrose due to deletion of the fructose importer gene <I>ptsF</I>. Mutualistic synthetic consortia with an <SMALL>L-</SMALL>lysine auxotrophic, α-amylase secreting <I>E. coli</I> strain and naturally amylase-negative <I>C. glutamicum</I> strains was implemented for production of valuable fine chemicals from starch.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Microbial consortia and their role in biorefinery to enlarge substrate and product flexibility. </LI> <LI> Production of <SMALL>L</SMALL>-lysine from a sucrose-based consortium. </LI> <LI> Production of <SMALL>L</SMALL>-lysine, cadaverine and <SMALL>L</SMALL>-pipecolic acid from starch-based consortia. </LI> </UL> </P>