The journal scope includes investigations of microbiomes present in one or various body compartments of human beings or other animals. Surveys on the establishment of microbial communities, microbe-microbe interactions, and microbe-host communication are welcome for publication. In particular, the journal emphasizes the identification and functional investigation of the role exerted by microbial taxa as well as microbial genes and microbial metabolites markers associated with health and disease. The journal focuses on studies that provide information on microbiome/microbiome composition in various animal-relevant niches and generate insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying microbiome function. Thus, the journal emphasizes functional interactions between microbes themselves, between microbes and their environment, and between microbes and their host.

The journal aims to publish high-quality research from scientists with a common interest in microbiome/microbiota research in all its multidisciplinary aspects. The main areas of interest include but are not limited to the following:

• the structure, activities and communal behavior of microbial communities

• microbial community genetics and evolutionary processes

• microbial symbioses, microbial interactions

• microbial metabolic and structural diversity

• microbial physiology, growth and survival

• microbes and surfaces, adhesion and biofouling

• modelling, theory development and new analysis pipelines

• viromes/phageome

• antimicrobials and competition in microbiomes

• fungal communities (mycobiomes)

• exploration of microbial dark matter

• culturomics approaches applied to microbiomes

• metabolomics and proteomic approaches applied to microbiomes

• metatranscriptomics applied to microbiomes

• new technological developments in the study of composition and activities of microbial communities, as-yet uncultured microorganisms

• gnotobiotic studies

• develoment of minimal microbial consortia and synthetic communities for functional microbe-host studies

• probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics and postbiotics

• microbial-derived metabolites originating from food/feed and playing a role on host physiology

• effect of microbiota modulation in gastrointestinal disorders

• effect of microbiota modulation in metabolic disorders

• novel treatments and clinical trials

• impact of dietary components on the microbiota, and inter-individual variation in responses

• host-microbiome interaction in immune response

Interdisciplinary studies of fundamental problems are particularly welcome. The journal publishes a variety of formats including Original Research articles, Short Reports, Reviews and Commentaries, et al.