Microbial Biotechnology (MBT)

#MicroSky: MBT has achieved a CiteScore of 9.4! We’re thrilled to rank in the top 15% of the areas of Applied Microbiol & Biotechnol and Biochemistry, Genetics & Mol Biol. THANKS to our readers, authors, staff & editors for their unwavering support!

#MicroSky: A new special issue on Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Plant Holobiont, featuring research on plant microbiomes, microbial ecology, plant health, and sustainable agricultural systems. We welcome Opinion articles, Highlights, (mini)Reviews, Research articles & Brief reports. SUBMIT NOW

#MicroSky: Aparicio et al. developed a broad-host-range dual base editor that transiently induces genome-wide hypermutation, accelerating ALE up to four orders of magnitude. The platform generates improved bacterial phenotypes across diverse Gram-negative species. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: One Health: A lytic bacteriophage cocktail disrupts mixed-species biofilms formed by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii, improving survival in infection models and offering a promising strategy against AMR. Ren et al. at doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: A new special issue on Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Plant Holobiont, featuring research on plant microbiomes, microbial ecology, plant health, and sustainable agricultural systems. We welcome Opinion articles, Highlights, (mini)Reviews, Research articles & Brief reports. SUBMIT NOW

#MicroSky: Vique et al. present a bacteriophage-based biocontrol product that shows strong potential against fire blight and black rot. Optimized formulations with CaCO₃ improved phage stability & field persistence, advancing sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: A new special issue on Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Plant Holobiont, featuring research on plant microbiomes, microbial ecology, plant health, and sustainable agricultural systems. We welcome Opinion articles, Highlights, (mini)Reviews, Research articles & Brief reports. SUBMIT NOW

#MicroSky: Synthetic biology rewires carbon metabolism in Bacillus methanolicus by installing a heterologous phosphoketolase pathway, boosting methanol-to-biomass yields by up to 24% while cutting CO₂ loss. A step forward for sustainable C1 biomanufacturing. Toporek et al doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#microSky: Victor de Lorenzo, a field leader, revisits the environmental release of genetically engineered microorganisms, arguing for a shift from containment-focused regulation to stewardship, traceability, and responsible ecosystem restoration. Read details at doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: A lovely moment at La Granja! 4 of our Associate Editors (Auxi, Pablo, Harald, Juan Luis) came together during the Biannual Meeting of the European Academy of Microbiology, sponsored by FEMS. Great to see our editorial community connecting, sharing ideas, and strengthening collaborations!

#MicroSky: As zoonotic threats continue to emerge, a rapid one-pot RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay enables ultra-specific detection of Monkeypox virus Clade I in just 40 min, supporting faster field surveillance and outbreak response. New from Li et al at doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: New from Perez-Muelas et al.! Stenotrophomonas bentonitica BII-R7 combines exceptional multimetal resistance with biofilm-guided synthesis of crystalline selenium nanorods, opening new avenues for bioremediation and green nanotechnology. Read doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: New from Ball et al.! Bacteriophages slashed Pseudomonas syringae on highbush blueberry leaves by >100,000-fold, highlighting phage cocktails as a powerful, sustainable plant disease control strategy. Don’t miss Microb Biotech: doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: VACCINES: Vicente-Pazos et al. advance DNA vaccine development against Klebsiella pneumoniae, showing that plasmid backbone design can strongly influence immune responses and protection against sepsis. The pVAX1-MrkA vaccine achieved 80% protection in mice. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Protein engineering: Pranoto et al. show that the hydrophobic core of a Bacillus subtilis α-amylase signal peptide can be shortened by ~60% without compromising secretion efficiency. A step forward in the rational design of protein production systems. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Xu et al. report that washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) showed promising feasibility & safety as salvage therapy for refractory non-CDI gut infections in critically ill patients, with 50% achieving clinical cure & no serious WMT-related adverse events. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Can eye microbes help combat myopia? Yanqing Li et al. show that Lactobacillus mucosae MM-1 and its metabolite indole-3-lactic acid reduced lens-induced myopia in mice via AHR activation and TGF-β/Smad inhibition. Advancing science! doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Barcelos et al. explore how biomanufacturing can scale from lab to industry, converting waste carbon into biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials. Integrating biology, process engineering, modelling, and economics is key to a sustainable bioeconomy. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Li et al. uncover how indigenous fungi from mine tailings oxidize pyrite through distinct mechanisms, from organic acid secretion to peroxidase-driven pathways. A step forward for bioleaching and mining biotechnology. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: GUT MICROBIOME: Zhang et al. report that Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CP-9 safely enriched beneficial Bifidobacterium in healthy infants and improved gut tolerability over 3 months. Find more on Probiotics at doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: CIRCULAR ECONOMY: Laura de Eugenio et al discuss that enzymes can help tackle plastic waste, but no single technology will deliver circularity alone. A systems approach to plastics & bioplastics is key. Find their OPINION at doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: ANTI-PHAGE: Bacteria deploy remarkably diverse defenses against viruses, from DNA injection blockers and nucleases to immune-like systems resembling gasdermins, Argonautes and ubiquitin pathways. Thousands of anti-phage systems remain to be discovered. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: GREEN TECH. TolC is a key missing piece in mixed-linkage β-glucan (MLG) biosynthesis. Engineering Sinorhizobium meliloti with tolC, bgsBA and pleD boosted MLG production up to ~10 g/L and enabled synthesis in new bacterial hosts. Find more in Ruiz-Suarez et al., doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: METABOLISM. In vivo catalytic rates of 99 enzymes in formate-grown Methanococcus maripaludis reveal weak agreement with sequence-predicted turnover numbers, highlighting low enzyme saturation as a key constraint in C1 metabolism and bioengineering. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY: Can we predict quorum sensing behaviour? A validated mathematical model helps fine-tune EsaI/EsaR genetic circuits, accelerating synthetic biology design. Relevant advances by De Baets et al. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: MORE THAN POLLINATORS: Honey bee gut microbes may be an overlooked detox organ. A new perspective proposes harnessing the microbiome to protect pollinators from pesticide exposure. Read the Opinion article by Liu et al. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: GLYCOBIOLOGY. Sugar matters! Optimizing N-glycosylation doubled the production of a fungal peroxygenase in yeast, improving recombinant enzyme yields for industrial biotechnology. Very relevant research presented by Schramm et al. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: FERMENTATION: Scaling up antifungal protein production is becoming a reality. Optimized bioreactor conditions boosted PeAfpA yields tenfold, paving the way for sustainable biofungicides. Find more in De Ovalle et al. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: PHYTOREMEDIATION: Can plants help clean up toxic pesticides? Engineered Arabidopsis expressing a bacterial dechlorinase removed >90% of lindane in just 4 weeks, opening new avenues for soil bioremediation. Learn more: Gonzalez De Figueras et al. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Mycosynthesized silver nanoparticles show promise as safe, biocompatible vaccine adjuvants, boosting immune responses with strong dose-dependent IgG2a polarization, minimal toxicity and limited gut microbiota disruption in mice. Exciting work by Muñiz-Lago et al at doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#Microsky:Zeng et al present the first report of a clinical monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium ST34 with chromosomally integrated blaNDM-5. This stable carbapenem-resistant high-risk clone highlights the key role of IS26 in resistance spread & the need for genomic surveillance doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Antibiotics. Xu et al present CI-ARS3, a dual-silencing platform that suppresses streptomycin and streptothricin biosynthesis by >97% in Streptomyces, enabling discovery of hidden antimicrobials, including the new compound enissomycin active against A. baumannii. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Did you know? Popelarova et al. show that outer membrane porins can shape sugar uptake in Pseudomonas putida. Engineering OprB-I improved glucose and xylose utilization, highlighting an overlooked strategy for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Biocontrol: Zhang et al. uncover how GATA transcription factors coordinate pathogenicity and chlamydospore formation in the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys. WC2 emerges as a promising engineering target for improved biocontrol strains. Don’t miss at doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: High-copy expression can overwhelm the ER—but shi et al found a way forward. In Komagataella phaffii, engineering key UPR regulators boosted secretion of recombinant proteins by up to 46%, advancing a more robust chassis for Synthetic Biology and biomanufacturing. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Synthetic biology toolbox expansion for probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus. Direct plasmid cloning, a strong promoter, and engineering fluorescent strains, open new chances for studying host–microbe interactions and developing probiotic cell factories. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Pseudomonas KT2440 grows on polyethylene-derived long-chain alcohols, and adaptive evolution rapidly boosts this ability. Expressing the outer-membrane transporter AlkL shows membrane permeability as a key lever for engineering microbes to upcycle plastics. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Fungal metabolism: Deleting NADPH dehydrogenase genes in Podospora reshapes fungal metabolism: boost fruiting body formation, alter redox balance, increase oxidative stress sensitivity, and rewire energy and lipid metabolism. By Qiu et al doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: A heterologous T3SS transforms P. protegens Pf-5 into a programmable molecular syringe, delivering Bg9562 into Fusarium hyphae to suppress disease, boost rhizosphere colonization, & protect tomato plants from wilt. A promising modular platform for fungal biocontrol doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: 5-year journey of IMiLI-SAC in advancing Microbiology Literacy & translating Microbiome science into society. Through outreach, multilingual resources & education, we connect microbes with health, sustainability, etc.: building an informed & healthier future. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: PLANT/MICROBES INTERACTIONS. Plants and microbes communicate in unexpected ways. Soybean flavonoids trigger the formation of wall-deficient cells in Streptomyces, revealing a link between plant metabolites and bacterial morphology. Learn on biotech applications at. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY. How do microbes respond to electricity? Al Sbei et al show that microbial electrosynthesis drives Clostridium ljungdahlii into a unique physiological sate, offering new insights into carbon capture, energy storage and biomanufacturing. Don’t miss doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Cancer Research: Microbial genetics can transform cancer diagnostic. Xi et al identified thousands of E. coli SNOs associated with colorectal cancer, enabling a highly accurate, non-invasive risk prediction model. Don’t miss doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: PLANT HEALTH: Can bacteriophages protect oak trees? Grace et al doi.org/10.1111/1751... isolated the first phages targeting bacteria linked to acute oak decline. While promising in the lab, field assays highlight the complexity of applying phage therapy in natural environments.

#MicrosKY: VACCINES: A new nanoparticle vaccine platform against West Nile virus shows strong immune responses, scalability and safety. Built on bacterial expression systems, the novel approach can accelerate affordable vaccine development against multiple viruses. Byun et al doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: Scientific academies are more than honor societies; they are public institutions with a responsibility to lead. In an era of climate change, inequality, declining trust in science, evidence-based leadership has never been so important. Timmis et al doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: From Antarctica comes a new discovery by Kralova et al doi.org/10.1111/1751.... They identified kineochelins, an unknown group of siderophores produced by rare actinomycetes. A new step toward uncovering new bioactive compounds and antimicrobials.

#MicroSky: SCIENCE COMMUNICATION: Microbes shape our world, yet they are often misunderstood. Bakteriopolis is bringing the hidden microbial world directly to communities through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and dialogue with scientists. Read Friebel et al doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: ONE HEALTH: Cutibacterium acnes extracellular vesicles promote ovarian tumor growth by activating the KEAP1–NRF2 axis and suppressing ferroptosis. RSL3 reversed these effects, highlighting microbial EVs therapeutic targets in EOC. Learn more. doi.org/10.1111/1751...

#MicroSky: BIOREMEDIATION In the environment, bacteria sense aromatic pollutants, move to them, adapt to toxicity, & use specialized uptake & catabolic systems. Genomic plasticity, metabolic versatility & division of labor within populations aid to remove persistent chemicals doi.org/10.1111/1751...