Journal profile · Microbiology
Nature Reviews Microbiology
ISSN 1740-1526 · eISSN 1740-1534 · Springer Nature · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 2003
Nature Reviews Microbiology: CAS Zone 1 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 104.79; subscription journal; review 6–12 weeks (community reports); community-reported acceptance: very hard; 129 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Nature Reviews Microbiology is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 1 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Bacteriophages and microbial interactions, Gut microbiota and health and Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology, together about 24.4% of its articles. Its main subfields are Molecular Biology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Nature Reviews Microbiology aims to be the premier source of reviews and commentaries for the scientific communities we serve. We strive to publish articles that are authoritative, accessible and enhanced with clearly understandable figures, tables and other display items. We want to provide an unparalleled service to authors, referees and readers, and we work hard to maximize the usefulness and impact of each article. Nature Reviews Microbiology publishes Reviews, Perspectives and Comments from across the field of microbiology, with our broad scope ensuring that the work we publish reaches the widest possible audience. Nature Reviews Microbiology is part of the Nature Reviews portfolio of journals. To learn more about Nature Reviews, check out this animation and the Nature Reviews page. You can also find a summary of the editorial input and checks here. Supporting the Sustainable Developmental Goals We are proud to acknowledge that over 50% of the articles published in Nature Reviews Microbiology in 2025 were related to one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Springer Nature supports the SDGs through a dedicated SDG Programme and is a signatory of the SDG Publishers Compact.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Microbiology
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United Kingdom 10, Germany 3, United States 1, India 1, Italy 1 (17 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactionsEnvironmental Science8.2%
- Gut microbiota and healthBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology8.1%
- Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologyEnvironmental Science8%
- Bacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7%
- Genomics and Phylogenetic StudiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.8%
- Vibrio bacteria research studiesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.5%
- Antibiotic Resistance in BacteriaBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.4%
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensingBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: yes
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Microbiology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: yes
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of SciencePublisher website
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
- 104.79LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 104.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 113.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 124LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 18.41LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 15.05LetPub ·
- h-index
- 250LetPub ·
- h-index
- 498OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,730OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 35.61OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 0%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 48LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 2,025Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 4,300,617Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,658 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 99 | 11 | 213 |
| 2025 | 129 | 26 | 3,266 |
| 2024 | 135 | 36 | 9,448 |
| 2023 | 159 | 47 | 21,681 |
| 2022 | 168 | 66 | 24,758 |
| 2021 | 176 | 45 | 29,791 |
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
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Very hardLetPub ·
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
Subscription journalLetPub
A subscription journal: articles are read by subscription or purchase, and authors usually pay no publication charge.
No source has fee information yet; check the journal's website.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 2003
- ISSN
- 1740-1526
- Electronic ISSN
- 1740-1534
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Nature Reviews Microbiology
What CAS zone is Nature Reviews Microbiology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Nature Reviews Microbiology is in Zone 1 of Biology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Microbiology; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Nature Reviews Microbiology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 104.79; CiteScore 124, h-index 498.
How long does peer review take at Nature Reviews Microbiology?
Authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Very hard”. 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 Nature Reviews Microbiology based?
Of the 17 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (10), Germany (3) and United States (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Nature Reviews Microbiology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Nature Reviews Microbiology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Nature Reviews Microbiology open access, and what is the APC?
Nature Reviews Microbiology is a subscription journal. Fee information is not available yet; check the journal's website.
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 2026-08-26). Last updated: .