Journal of Bacteriology

Journal of Bacteriology
Title	Journal of Bacteriology
Discipline	Microbiology, Bacteriology
Editor	Michael J. Federle
Publisher	American Society for Microbiology
Country	United States
History	1916–present
Frequency	Biweekly
Openaccess	Hybrid
Impact	3.2
Impact-year	2022
ISSN	0021-9193
EISSN	1098-5530
CODEN	JOBAAY
Website	https://journals.asm.org/journal/jb
OCLC	01728367

Journal of Bacteriology. It is a premier peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Society for Microbiology that focuses on fundamental aspects of bacterial and archaeal biology. Established in 1916, it is one of the oldest and most respected publications in the field of microbiology, covering a broad range of topics from molecular biology and genetics to physiology and pathogenesis. The journal publishes original research, minireviews, and commentaries that advance the understanding of prokaryotes, serving as a critical resource for researchers worldwide.

History and scope

The publication was launched in 1916 under the auspices of the Society of American Bacteriologists, which later became the American Society for Microbiology. Its founding editors, including early influential microbiologists, established its mission to disseminate rigorous research on bacterial life. Historically, it has published seminal work on bacterial genetics, microbial metabolism, and the physiology of diverse organisms from Escherichia coli to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The scope encompasses all aspects of prokaryotic cell biology, including gene regulation, cell division, biofilm formation, virulence mechanisms, and interactions with phages or host organisms. It also features research on archaea, expanding beyond traditional bacteriology to include studies on extremophiles from environments like Yellowstone National Park.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is comprehensively abstracted and indexed in major scientific databases, ensuring global visibility for its published research. It is included in services such as PubMed, MEDLINE, the Science Citation Index Expanded, and the Scopus database. Its contents are also covered by Chemical Abstracts Service, BIOSIS Previews, and the CAB International database. These indexing services facilitate discovery by researchers at institutions like the National Institutes of Health and the Max Planck Society. The ISSN for the print version is 0021-9193, while the online edition carries the eISSN 1098-5530, with a CODEN of JOBAAY.

Impact and metrics

According to the Journal Citation Reports, it has maintained a significant impact factor, which was 3.2 for the 2022 citation year. Its CiteScore and other metrics from Elsevier also reflect its sustained influence in the field of microbiology. The journal's long half-life for cited articles indicates the enduring relevance of its foundational research. It consistently ranks highly among journals in categories like Microbiology and Virology within databases curated by Clarivate Analytics. The h-index of the publication further underscores its contribution to key advancements in understanding pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis.

Editorial board and peer review

The editorial board is led by Editor-in-Chief Michael J. Federle of the University of Illinois at Chicago. The board comprises an international panel of distinguished scientists from institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, the Pasteur Institute, and the University of Tokyo. The peer-review process adheres to rigorous standards set by the American Society for Microbiology, employing a single-blind review system to evaluate manuscript quality, originality, and significance. This process ensures that published work meets the high benchmarks expected by the research community, including those at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Wellcome Trust.

Notable articles and special issues

Throughout its history, the journal has published numerous landmark studies that have shaped modern microbiology. These include early work on bacterial conjugation by Joshua Lederberg, research on operon theory related to the lac operon, and discoveries concerning quorum sensing in Vibrio fischeri. Special issues have often highlighted emerging fields, such as studies on CRISPR systems in Streptococcus pyogenes or the molecular biology of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Thematic collections have also focused on model organisms like Caulobacter crescentus and global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on microbial research.

Related publications

It is part of a family of journals published by the American Society for Microbiology, which includes titles such as Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, and the Journal of Virology. These sister publications cover adjacent disciplines like environmental microbiology, virology, and clinical microbiology. Other related influential journals in the broader field include Molecular Microbiology from Wiley-Blackwell, Nature Reviews Microbiology from the Nature Publishing Group, and PLOS Pathogens from the Public Library of Science. Researchers often cross-reference work between these publications when studying systems like the type III secretion system or bacterial chemotaxis.

Category:American Society for Microbiology academic journals Category:Bacteriology journals Category:English-language journals Category:Publications established in 1916 Category:Biweekly journals