Get your BMC Microbiology paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
4.5
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 30 July, 2026
Submitting to BMC Microbiology goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the BMC Microbiology guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to BMC Microbiology. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the BMC Microbiology journal page before you draft.
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the BMC Microbiology guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the BMC Microbiology guide for authors before you submit.
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through the journal's submission system.
| Element | BMC Microbiol requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Research articles: 350 words maximum, structured (Background, Results, Conclusions). Reviews: 350 words maximum, structured (background, main body, short conclusion). Database and Software articles: 350 words maximum, structured. Comment: 50 words maximum. Matters Arising: No abstract |
| Main text | Most article types: No word limit restriction stated ('length and quantity of data is not restricted for many article types'). Matters Arising: ideally not exceed 1,200 words |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 3-10 |
| References | Vancouver (numbered) |
| Peer review | Transparent peer review (reviewer reports published alongside article under CC BY 4.0 license, but reviewer names not disclosed) |
| Submission | submission.nature.com/new-submission/12866/3 |
Read the BMC Microbiology guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to BMC Microbiology in under a page.
Skim two or three recent BMC Microbiol papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the BMC Microbiology journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the BMC Microbiology guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.