Journal profile · Microbiology
Journal of Basic Microbiology
ISSN 0233-111X · eISSN 1521-4028 · Wiley-VCH Verlag · GERMANY · Bimonthly · Founded 1985
Journal of Basic Microbiology: CAS Zone 4 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.17; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,240; median 89 days to acceptance (77 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 50%; 167 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Basic Microbiology is published by Wiley-VCH Verlag and is in Zone 4 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology, Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis and Bacteriophages and microbial interactions, together about 25.1% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Basic Microbiology (JBM) publishes primary research papers on both procaryotic and eucaryotic microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, protozoans, phages, viruses, viroids and prions. Papers published deal with: microbial interactions (pathogenic, mutualistic, environmental), ecology, physiology, genetics and cell biology/development, new methodologies, i.e., new imaging technologies (e.g. video-fluorescence microscopy, modern TEM applications) novel molecular biology methods (e.g. PCR-based gene targeting or cassettes for cloning of GFP constructs). Types of publication: Original research papers, method papers, reviews. Journal of Basic Microbiology provides innovative results and new imaging technologies guarantees rapid publication is driven by international, well-known Editors is comprehensive provides an easy-to-use online submission and tracking system regularly brings you up-to-date with focused/topical issues 1521-4028 (online) 12 Issues per year. How to cite: To make sure that references to this journal are correctly recorded and resolved (for example in CrossRef or ISI Web of Science), please use the following abbreviated title in any citations: "J. Basic Microbiol." (punctuation may vary according to the style of the citing journal).
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Microbiology
Editor-in-chief Erika Kothe JenaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 20%); most named Germany 2, Mainland China 1, Netherlands 1, Hungary 1 (5 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologyEnvironmental Science11.8%
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing SymbiosisAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.1%
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactionsEnvironmental Science6.2%
- Fungal Biology and ApplicationsMedicine5.5%
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal DiseasesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.1%
- Enzyme Production and CharacterizationBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5%
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and BioproductionBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5%
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and ImmunityAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of ScienceMEDLINEPubMedCASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: EBSCO, AGRICOLA
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.17LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.3Publisher website ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 7.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.71LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.91LetPub ·
- h-index
- 47LetPub ·
- h-index
- 99OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,224OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.46OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 6.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 9.48%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 120LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher) 2025
- 129Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 234,314Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 8,686 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 78 | 33 | 40 |
| 2025 | 167 | 54 | 396 |
| 2024 | 167 | 76 | 988 |
| 2023 | 145 | 60 | 1,072 |
| 2022 | 147 | 15 | 1,619 |
| 2021 | 163 | 23 | 4,028 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
89 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 73 days – 118 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 15 days (77 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 110 days
- Sample
- 77 articles with submission and acceptance dates (273 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 1 monthLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 13%Publisher website ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher) 2025
- 13%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 13 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to first decision 2025
- 13 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance 2025
- 82 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication 2025
- 16 daysPublisher website ·
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,240 / EUR 2,740 / GBP 2,160 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access
- Open access Open Access
JBM offers authors to select between a subscription based and open access publication of their article. Authors have the option of paying a fee to ensure that their articles are available to non-subscribers. For more information go to Open Access info page.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Wiley-VCH Verlag
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1985
- ISSN
- 0233-111X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1521-4028
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 66, Issue 9 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Basic Microbiology
What CAS zone is Journal of Basic Microbiology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Basic Microbiology is in Zone 4 of Biology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Microbiology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Basic Microbiology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.17; CiteScore 7.3, h-index 99.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Basic Microbiology?
Based on the dates recorded on 77 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 89 days (interquartile range 73–118 days); authors report an average review time of about 1 month; the community-reported acceptance is “about 50%”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 13% (2025). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Basic Microbiology based?
Of the 5 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 20%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (2), Mainland China (1) and Netherlands (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Basic Microbiology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Basic Microbiology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Basic Microbiology open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Basic Microbiology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,240.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .