, 15/05/2026
The mechanism of Tat-dependent protein translocation

The mechanism of Tat-dependent protein translocation

Brüser and Sanders

This review integrates mechanistically relevant biochemical, molecular, and structural studies on Tat-dependent translocation of folded proteins into an in its molecular detail new comprehensive explanation of how the Tat system mediates protein transport.

Sugar-induced cell death (SICD) in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>: insights into nitrogen-mediated rescue and apoptotic cell death pathways

Sugar-induced cell death (SICD) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: insights into nitrogen-mediated rescue and apoptotic cell death pathways

Parbhudayal and Cheng

This study examined mechanisms through which yeast sugar-induced cell death can be prevented. High concentrations of glucose induced a catastrophic response that was only rescued by highly preferred nitrogen sources and by preventing nuclear localization of specific cell death proteins.

, 14/04/2026
From the gut to the lungs: The role of gut microbiota in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related research progress

From the gut to the lungs: The role of gut microbiota in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related research progress

Yang et al.

This article provides new ideas and directions for the basic research and clinical practice of COPD by comprehensively sorting out the association between gut microbiota and COPD.

TOR-dependent regulation of the yeast homolog of the juvenile Batten Disease-associated gene <i>CLN3</i>

TOR-dependent regulation of the yeast homolog of the juvenile Batten Disease-associated gene CLN3

Pillalamarri et al.

This study identifies conditions and genes that induce BTN1 expression in yeast. We show that BTN1 expression is regulated by translational control and by the mTOR1 pathway. An understanding of when and why BTN1 expression will aid in understanding the expression of CLN3, which may be helpful in the treatment of this devastating disease.

Metagenomic and microbiological analyses of historical manuscripts for bacterial community profiling and bacteria-related biodeterioration assessment

Metagenomic and microbiological analyses of historical manuscripts for bacterial community profiling and bacteria-related biodeterioration assessment

Keles and Celik

By documenting both culturable and non-culturable taxa, this work provides a foundational dataset for understanding bacterial contributions to manuscript stability and offers a methodological framework for future research on biodeterioration dynamics in Islamic and global documentary heritage.

Overcoming phagocytosis resistance of hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> by directly targeting capsules

Overcoming phagocytosis resistance of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae by directly targeting capsules

Tsubaki et al.

This study highlights a promising strategy for disarming hypervirulent K. pneumoniae by directly targeting its key virulence factors and provides novel insights into antibacterial therapeutic approaches against this clinically significant pathogen.

, 12/02/2026
Protein arginine methyltransferases in protozoan parasites: a new path for antiparasitic chemotherapy?

Protein arginine methyltransferases in protozoan parasites: a new path for antiparasitic chemotherapy?

Campagnaro et al.

This review discusses the activity and the relevance of arginine methyltransferases for the survival of pathogenic kinetoplastids, apicomplexans and amoebas, and how these enzymes could be exploited as drug targets.

VapA/Scs2 sustains polarized growth in <i>Aspergillus nidulans</i> by maintaining AP-2-mediated apical endocytosis

VapA/Scs2 sustains polarized growth in Aspergillus nidulans by maintaining AP-2-mediated apical endocytosis

Georgiou et al.

To explore the functional significance of ER–PM contact sites in filamentous fungi, we identified and genetically characterized all Aspergillus nidulans proteins homologous to Snc2/VAP, Ist2, or tricalbins.

Genetic make-up and regulation of the L-lysine biosynthesis pathway in <i>Vibrio natriegens</i>

Genetic make-up and regulation of the L-lysine biosynthesis pathway in Vibrio natriegens

Straube et al.

This study analysed the make-up and regulation of the biosynthetic pathway for L-lysine and related L-aspartate family amino acids (AFAAs) in Vibrio natriegens DSM759 to provide a comprehensive basis for future metabolic engineering endeavours aiming at developing this strain into an amino acid overproducer.

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Sugar-induced cell death (SICD) in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>: insights into nitrogen-mediated rescue and apoptotic cell death pathways Parbhudayal and Cheng

Sugar-induced cell death (SICD) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: insights into nitrogen-mediated rescue and apoptotic cell death pathways

This study examined mechanisms through which yeast sugar-induced cell death can be prevented. High concentrations of glucose induced a catastrophic response that was only rescued by highly preferred nitrogen sources and by preventing nuclear localization of specific cell death proteins.

TOR-dependent regulation of the yeast homolog of the juvenile Batten Disease-associated gene <i>CLN3</i> Pillalamarri et al.

TOR-dependent regulation of the yeast homolog of the juvenile Batten Disease-associated gene CLN3

This study identifies conditions and genes that induce BTN1 expression in yeast. We show that BTN1 expression is regulated by translational control and by the mTOR1 pathway. An understanding of when and why BTN1 expression will aid in understanding the expression of CLN3, which may be helpful in the treatment of this devastating disease.

Metagenomic and microbiological analyses of historical manuscripts for bacterial community profiling and bacteria-related biodeterioration assessment Keles and Celik

Metagenomic and microbiological analyses of historical manuscripts for bacterial community profiling and bacteria-related biodeterioration assessment

By documenting both culturable and non-culturable taxa, this work provides a foundational dataset for understanding bacterial contributions to manuscript stability and offers a methodological framework for future research on biodeterioration dynamics in Islamic and global documentary heritage.

Overcoming phagocytosis resistance of hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> by directly targeting capsules Tsubaki et al.

Overcoming phagocytosis resistance of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae by directly targeting capsules

This study highlights a promising strategy for disarming hypervirulent K. pneumoniae by directly targeting its key virulence factors and provides novel insights into antibacterial therapeutic approaches against this clinically significant pathogen.

VapA/Scs2 sustains polarized growth in <i>Aspergillus nidulans</i> by maintaining AP-2-mediated apical endocytosis Georgiou et al.

VapA/Scs2 sustains polarized growth in Aspergillus nidulans by maintaining AP-2-mediated apical endocytosis

To explore the functional significance of ER–PM contact sites in filamentous fungi, we identified and genetically characterized all Aspergillus nidulans proteins homologous to Snc2/VAP, Ist2, or tricalbins.

Genetic make-up and regulation of the L-lysine biosynthesis pathway in <i>Vibrio natriegens</i> Straube et al.

Genetic make-up and regulation of the L-lysine biosynthesis pathway in Vibrio natriegens

This study analysed the make-up and regulation of the biosynthetic pathway for L-lysine and related L-aspartate family amino acids (AFAAs) in Vibrio natriegens DSM759 to provide a comprehensive basis for future metabolic engineering endeavours aiming at developing this strain into an amino acid overproducer.

Regulation of extracellular vesicles for protein secretion in <i>Aspergillus nidulans</i> Pope et al.

Regulation of extracellular vesicles for protein secretion in Aspergillus nidulans

This study reveals that Aspergillus nidulans boosts extracellular vesicle production when ER-trafficked enzymes are induced, uncovering how fungi remodel their secretome through vesicle-mediated secretion to adapt to changing environments and biofilm formation.

23/01/2026
Transcriptomic response to different heme sources in <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> epimastigotes Tevere et al.

Transcriptomic response to different heme sources in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes

This study uncovers how the Chagas disease parasite adapts to changes in heme, an essential molecule for its survival, providing transcriptional clues to heme metabolism and identifying a previously unreported heme-binding protein in T. cruzi.

Ryu et al.

Sir2 regulates selective autophagy in stationary-phase yeast cells

This study establishes Sir2 as a previously unrecognized regulator of selective autophagy during the stationary phase and highlight how cells dynamically control organelle degradation.

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, 30/10/2017

Breaking the bad: Bacillus blocks fungal virulence factors

Mayer and Kronstad

This article comments on work published by Mayer & Kronstad (mBio, 2017), which identified the soil bacterium, Bacillus safensis as a potent inhibitor of virulence factor production by two major fungal pathogens of humans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Candida albicans.

, 24/10/2017

The integrated stress response in budding yeast lifespan extension

Postnikoff

This article summarizes how the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been instrumental in unraveling the molecular and cellular determinants of aging, and how the induction of cellular stress responses has been associated with experimental lifespan extension, thus underscoring the value of yeast as a model for developing potential aging therapies for humans.

, 18/09/2017

Yeast for virus research

Zhao

This article summarizes the use of budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) in virus research, highlighting their advantages for studying viral replication, interaction with host cells, and fundamental cellular processes affected by viruses, while discussing their potential in analyzing small viral genomes and facilitating the discovery of antiviral drugs.

, 13/09/2017

Macrophages as drivers of an opportunistic infection

Vergunst et al.

This article comments on work published by Mesureur et al. (PloS Pathog, 2017), which shows that macrophages are essential for proliferation of B. cenocepacia in the host. This suggests a new paradigm for Bcc infections and urges the development of novel anti-infectious therapies to efficiently disarm these intrinsically antibiotic resistant facultative intracellular pathogens.

, 31/08/2017

A yeast model for the mechanism of the Epstein-Barr virus immune evasion identifies a new therapeutic target to interfere with the virus stealthiness

Lista

This article comments on a publication by Lista et al. (Nature Communications, 2017) that uncovered the role of the host cell nucleolin (NCL) in EBNA1 self-limitation of expression via a direct interaction of this protein with G-quadruplexes (G4) formed in GAr-encoding sequence of EBNA1 mRNA.

, 25/08/2017

Exacerbating and reversing lysosomal storage diseases: from yeast to humans

Rajakumar

This article summarizes the use of yeast models in advancing our understanding of lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs), where they have been instrumental in researching LSD mechanisms, screening for therapeutic compounds, and exploring genetic and gene-environment interactions relevant to diseases like Batten disease, cystinosis, and Niemann-Pick type C disease, as well as their connection to broader health issues such as viral infections and obesity.

, 13/08/2017

Live fast, die fast principle in a single cell of fission yeast

Nakaoka

This article comments on a recent study (Nakaoka and Wakamoto, PLoS Biol, 2017), which developed a microfluidics-based platform to track multiple single cell lineages until death.

, 01/08/2017

Out with the old: Hsp90 finds amino acid residue more useful than co-chaperone protein

Zuehlke and Neckers

This article comments on work published by Zuehlke et al (Nat Commun, 2017), which demonstrates that the function of one co-chaperone in yeast is replaced by posttranslational modification (PTM) of a single amino acid within Hsp90 in higher eukaryotes.

, 01/08/2017

Having your cake and eating it – Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants can evolve faster growth rate without losing their antibiotic resistance

Gerrit Brandis et al.

This article comments on work published by Cao et al. (mBio, 2027), which shows that Staphylococcus aureus can produce small colony variants (SCVs) that are challenging to detect and lead to persistent infections due to mutations affecting respiration and ATP production, with recent findings indicating various evolutionary paths for SCVs to increase growth rate while maintaining antibiotic resistance, suggesting greater adaptability and clinical challenge.

Previous Next
05/01/2015

The emerging role of complex modifications of tRNALysUUU in signaling pathways

Patrick C. Thiaville and Valérie de Crécy-Lagard

This comment discusses the article “Loss of wobble uridine modification in tRNA anticodons interferes with TOR pathway signaling” by Scheidt et al (Microbial Cell, 2014).

Metabolic pathways further increase the complexity of cell size control in budding yeast

Jorrit M. Enserink

This article comments on work published by Soma et al. (Microbial Cell, 2014), which teased apart the effect of metabolism and growth rate on setting of critical cell size in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Only functional localization is faithful localization

Roland Lill

This article comments on work published by Peleh et al. (Microbial Cell 2014), which analyzes the localization of Dre2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

, 07/04/2014

Metabolites in aging and autophagy

Sabrina Schroeder et al.

This article analyzes the implications of specific metabolites in aging and autophagy with special emphasis on polyamine metabolism.

, 06/01/2014

One cell, one love: a journal for microbial research

Didac Carmona-Gutierrez et al.

In this inaugural article of Microbial Cell, we highlight the importance of microbial research in general and the journal’s intention to serve as a publishing forum that supports and enfolds the scientific diversity in this area as it provides a unique, high-quality and universally accessible source of information and inspiration.

What’s the role of autophagy in trypanosomes?

Katherine Figarella and Néstor L. Uzcátegui

This article comments on Proto et al. (Microbial Cell, 2014), who report first insights into the molecular mechanism of autophagy in African trypanosomes by generating reporter bloodstream form cell lines.

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FAQs

Whether you’re preparing a manuscript, reviewing a paper, or just exploring the journal, this FAQ answers the essentials—from scope and founders to impact and how to submit. Prefer a tailored path? Pick For authors or For reviewers below.

Peer-reviewed, open-access research using unicellular organisms (and multicellular microorganisms) to understand cellular responses and human disease.

The journal (founded in 2014) is led by its Editors-in-Chief Frank Madeo, Didac Carmona-Gutierrez, and Guido Kroemer

Microbial Cell has been publishing original scientific literature since 2014, and from the very beginning has been managed by active scientists through an independent Publishing House (Shared science Publishers). The journal was conceived as a platform to acknowledge the importance of unicellular organisms, both as model systems as well as in the biological context of human health and disease.

Ever since, Microbial Cell has very positively developed and strongly grown into a respected journal in the unicellular research community and even beyond. This scientific impact is reflected in the yearly number of citations obtained by articles published in Microbial Cell, as recorded by the Web of Science (Clarivate, formerly Thomson/Reuters):

The scientific impact of Microbial Cell is also mirrored in a series of milestones:

2015: Microbial Cell is included in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), a selection of developing journals drafted by Clarivate Analytics based on the candidate’s publishing standards, quality, editorial content, and citation data. Note: As an ESCI-selected journal, Microbial Cell is currently being evaluated in a rigorous and long process to determine an inclusion in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), which allows the official calculation of Clarivate Analytics’ impact factor.

2016: Microbial Cell is awarded the so-called DOAJ Seal by the selective Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The DOAJ Seal is an exclusive mark of certification for open access journals granted by DOAJ to journals that adhere to outstanding best practice and achieve an extra high and clear commitment to open access and high publishing standards.

2017: Microbial Cell is included in Pubmed Central (PMC), allowing the archiving of all the journal’s articles in PMC and PubMed.

2019: Microbial Cell is indexed in the prestigious abstract and citation database Scopus after a thorough selection process. This also means that Microbial Cell obtains, for the first time, an official Scopus CiteScore as well as an official journal ranking in the Scimago Journal and Country Ranking.

2022: Microbial Cell’s CiteScore reaches a value of 7.2 for the year 2021, positioning Microbial Cell among the top microbiology journals (previously available CiteScores: 2019: 5.4; 2020: 5.1).

2022: Microbial Cell is indexed in the highly selective Science Citation Index Expanded™, which covers approx. 9,500 of the world’s most impactful journals across 178 scientific disciplines. In their journal selection and curation process, Clarivate´s editors apply 24 ‘quality’ criteria and four ‘impact’ criteria to select the most influential journals in their respective fields. This selection is also a pre-requisite for inclusion in the JCR, which features the impact factor.

2022: Microbial Cell is listed in the Journal Citation Reports™ (JCR), and obtains its first official Journal Impact Factor™ (JIF) for the year 2021: 5.316.

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