Journal profile · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Biochemistry
mSystems
ISSN 2379-5077 · American Society for Microbiology · United States
mSystems: CAS Zone 2 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 5.19; fully open access; APC about USD 4,100; median 76 days to acceptance (105 articles, last 24 months); 413 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
mSystems is published by American Society for Microbiology and is in Zone 2 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Gut microbiota and health, Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology and Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies, together about 42.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Molecular Biology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
mSystems® is a multidisciplinary, open access journal publishing preeminent, high-impact research that achieves insights into microbiological systems within and across scales, from the individual cell to the microbial population and community to the host and global ecosystems. The scope of mSystems encompasses all important biological and biochemical findings in microbial systems and synthetic biology, including metabolism and regulation, computational microbiology, ecology and evolution, and synthesis drawn from the analyses and integration across large, multidimensional data sets. We seek research that advances insights that move beyond isolated microbial components to explore broader system-level phenomena. We welcome new technical and computational Methods and Protocols for deriving these insights and invited Minireviews that synthesize timely topics in systems microbiology. mSystems provides streamlined decisions, while carrying on ASM’s tradition of rigorous peer review. Our interdisciplinary scope covers the following subject areas: Animal Microbiome and Animal-Microbial Symbioses: animal host-microbe interactions, symbioses, and microbiome studies from a systems perspective, including holobiont, evolution, mechanisms of engagement, and assembly Applied Microbiology: genetic and genomic systems and tools, systems approaches and perspectives to gain insights into microbial processes of interest to industries and economic sectors (e.g., fermentation, food microbiology, and bioenergy) Artificial Microbial Ecosystems and Synthetic Communities: labs “on a chip,” novel approaches or apparatuses for precise system manipulation/experimentation (e.g., rhizotrons, SynComs, and their applications) Bioinformatics/Databases/Modeling: new pipelines and tools for integrating, interpreting, and predicting outcomes from large, multidimensional data (e.g., high-throughput -omics, images, etc.) Environmental Ecosystems and Climate Change: microbial functions and ecology supporting terrestrial, aquatic, and other Earthly ecosystems, microbial controls and interactions with climate change, (micro)biogeochemical interactions with environmental systems, microbial or microbiome management to support climate-resilient ecosystems Human Microbiome: microbiome interactions with human host systems, including consequences for health, such as development and aging, the gut-X axis, genome-microbiome interactions, and immune responses Microbial Ecology and Evolution: fundamental empirical, theoretical, and computational research to understand the ecological and evolutionary “rules” driving microbial population and community outcomes New Methods and Technologies: emerging, cutting-edge tools that support systems microbiology research and engineering One Health Systems: the movement and interplay of microbial genes and microorganisms between anthropogenic and environmental systems, including systems-level analyses of the spread of opportunistic pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes, the built environment, clinic-to-farm continuum, interfaces and hotspots of dissemination, source tracking and predictive modeling Plant-Microbial Systems: plant host-microbe interactions and microbiome studies from a systems perspective, including holobiont, evolution, mechanisms of engagement, assembly, plant-soil-ecosystem scaling, and microbiomes of agroecosystems Society and the Microbiome: the interface of human microbiomes with social and political systems, their interactions and consequences Subcellular Molecular and Physiological Systems: systems approaches to understand the concert of molecules and physical dynamics of microbiological cellular physiology Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology: applications in microbial systems biology, engineering, and new synthetic technologies derived from systems microbiology insights Systems Biology/Microbiology: general systems microbiology, metabolism and metabolic modeling, multi-omics integration
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Biochemistry
Editor-in-chief Ashley Shade ExplorePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 19 in mainland China (about 11%); most named United States 91, Mainland China 19, United Kingdom 9, India 5, Canada 5 (175 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Gut microbiota and healthBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology19.4%
- Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologyEnvironmental Science13.2%
- Genomics and Phylogenetic StudiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology9.5%
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactionsEnvironmental Science6.5%
- Bacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.7%
- Antibiotic Resistance in BacteriaBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.5%
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and BioproductionBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.1%
- Probiotics and Fermented FoodsAgricultural and Biological Sciences4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
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
- 5.19LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 8.1LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.67LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.16LetPub ·
- h-index
- 19LetPub ·
- h-index
- 123OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,870OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 6.28OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 1.9%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 100%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 391LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 3Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 2,403,439Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,044 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 264 | 264 | 128 |
| 2025 | 413 | 413 | 1,936 |
| 2024 | 387 | 387 | 4,618 |
| 2023 | 298 | 298 | 4,606 |
| 2022 | 351 | 351 | 9,216 |
| 2021 | 479 | 479 | 15,691 |
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
76 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 43 days – 110 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 28 days (105 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 108 days
- Sample
- 105 articles with submission and acceptance dates (789 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 13 weeksLetPub ·
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 13 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer review, Unspecified peer reviewDOAJ
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
Fully open accessDOAJ
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | USD 4,100 | Yes | CC BY | |
| OpenAlex | USD 3,500 | — | — | |
| LetPub | USD 3,500 | Yes | — |
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)
Article types accepted20, with length limits
- case reportCase ReportLength not stated
- commentariesCommentaries are short invited articles that discuss mSystems papers or issues of special interest.Length not stated
- commentaryion headings and/or paragraph lead-ins. Commentaries Commentaries are short invited articles (maximum 1,000 words) that discuss mSystems papers or issues of spe…main text ≤ 1,000 words · abstract ≤ 150 words
- editorialEditorials (maximum 500 words) communicated by members of the mSystems Board of Editors address issues of science, politics, or policy. Editorials should includ…main text ≤ 500 words · abstract ≤ 150 words
- editorialsEditorials communicated by members of the mSystems Board of Editors address issues of science, politics, or policy.Length not stated
- letters to the editorLetters to the Editor are intended for comments on articles published in the journal and must cite published references to support the writer’s argument. Letter…main text ≤ 500 words
- methodMethodLength not stated
- methods and protocolsMethods and Protocols manuscripts describe major technical and methodological developments in systems biology.Length not stated
- minireviewsMinireviews are invited, brief summaries of important developments in microbiology research.Length not stated
- observationsObservations are short descriptions of research results of exceptional importance and unusual interest to the broad microbiology community, e.g., reports of a n…Length not stated
- opinionion headings and/or paragraph lead-ins. Opinions/Hypotheses Opinions/Hypotheses are short articles (maximum 2,500 words with a maximum of 25 references) that pr…main text ≤ 2,500 words · abstract ≤ 150 words · references ≤ 25
- opinions/hypothesesOpinions/Hypotheses are short articles that present original and well-developed insights without complete supporting data.Length not stated
- perspectiveion headings and/or paragraph lead-ins. Perspectives Perspectives are brief reviews (maximum 2,000 words) that offer a succinct overview of a specific topic wit…main text ≤ 2,000 words · abstract ≤ 150 words
- perspectivesPerspectives are brief reviews that offer a succinct overview of a specific topic with an emphasis on opinion and synthesis.Length not stated
- protocollines as Research Articles. Methods and Protocols Methods and Protocols (5,000 word limit) describe major technical and methodological developmmain text ≤ 5,000 words
- researchResearchLength not stated
- research article5 references, and no more than 2 tables Research Articles Research Articles are limited to 5,000 words and should make fundamental contributions to our understa…main text ≤ 5,000 words
- research articlesResearch Articles should make fundamental contributions to our understanding in all areas of microbial research that use high-throughput and systems approaches.Length not stated
- resource reportsResource Reports describe major technical advances and/or major informational databases that would be of interest in microbiology or allied fields.Length not stated
- reviewReviewLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteConflicts of interest, Peer review
- Conflicts of interest Senior Editors Conflict of Interest Policy
Senior Editors provide strategic oversight of the journal’s peer review process, triaging submissions, assigning manuscripts, and in some cases managing peer review directly. Mariana X. Byndloss (2029)Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USAResearch Interests: Enteric bacterial pathogens, gut microbiota, host-microbe interactions during intestinal diseases Lydia María Contreras (20…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Format-neutral initial submissions Model summary
ASM Journals welcomes papers in any format (what we call "format-neutral submissions")
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
- American Society for Microbiology
- Country or region
- United States
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 2379-5077
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 11 (August 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Aims & Scope ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Fee waivers ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗LetPub
- Editorial board ↗LetPub
- Plagiarism policy ↗DOAJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about mSystems
What CAS zone is mSystems in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, mSystems is in Zone 2 of Biology, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Microbiology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of mSystems?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.19; CiteScore 8.1, h-index 123.
How long does peer review take at mSystems?
Based on the dates recorded on 105 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 76 days (interquartile range 43–110 days); authors report an average review time of about 13 weeks. 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 mSystems based?
Of the 175 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 19 (about 11%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (91), Mainland China (19) and United Kingdom (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index mSystems?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, mSystems is indexed in SCIE, Scopus and DOAJ.
Is mSystems open access, and what is the APC?
mSystems is a fully open-access journal. APC about USD 4,100.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, DOAJ, Publisher website; 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: .