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Molecular Biology and Evolution (MBE) is a fully open access, peer-reviewed journal on how life evolves at the molecular level. It is published by Oxford University Press (OUP) and owned by the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE). This page is a fact sheet drawn from the journal’s own About and General Instructions pages, read on 2026-11-07, for researchers deciding whether to read, cite or submit to it.
What is Molecular Biology and Evolution?
MBE is a journal for research on molecular evolution across taxonomy, genomic organization and phenotypes. Beyond research papers it carries sections for evolutionary tools and resources: Methods, Resource and Protocol articles, plus Reviews and Perspectives. Its online ISSN is 1537-1719.
Who runs it and what does it cover?
- Publisher: Oxford University Press.
- Owner: the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE), which appoints the Editor-in-Chief.
- Scope: how life evolves at the molecular level, from taxonomy and genome organization to phenotypes.
- Article types listed in the instructions: Discoveries, Methods, Resources, Reviews, Protocols, Brief Communications and Perspectives.
- Indexing listed by the journal: PubMed, Science Citation Index Expanded, BIOSIS Previews, EMBASE, Biological Abstracts and Zoological Record, among others.
- Access model: fully open access. An article processing charge applies to articles accepted from 1 August 2020, and all papers have been free to access since 1 January 2021.
What is the impact factor of Molecular Biology and Evolution?
The journal’s About page reports a 2024 Journal Impact Factor (JIF) of 5.3, from Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports. An impact factor belongs to one year, so always quote it with its year. The same page lists these values:
| JIF year | Value reported by the journal |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 5.3 |
| 2023 | 11.0 |
| 2022 | 10.7 |
| 2021 | 8.800 |
| 2020 | 16.240 |
For 2024 the journal reports category ranks of 66 of 319 in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 7 of 53 in Evolutionary Biology, and 24 of 191 in Genetics & Heredity. The page lists values back to 2006.
Molecular biology and evolution journal impact factor: how to read the swings
The figure fell from 11.0 (2023) to 5.3 (2024), and 2020 was far higher than 2021. A single-year jump or drop does not by itself describe article quality; quoting the year and the category rank together is more informative than one number. Websites that aggregate journal data sometimes disagree with each other and with the journal, so take the figure from the journal’s page or from Journal Citation Reports itself. For how the metric is calculated and how to check it, see how the journal impact factor is calculated, how to look up a journal’s impact factor and the journal impact factor definition.
How to search or use it: finding the journal and submitting
The General Instructions page links to the journal’s ManuscriptCentral submission site; the sign-in is reached from that link. Points stated in the instructions:
- Peer review is single-anonymized, typically with two reviewers. See single-blind vs double-blind vs open peer review.
- Preprints are allowed; the preprint’s status should be updated with the published DOI on acceptance. See preprints vs peer-reviewed articles.
- Data and code must be publicly released where ethically possible, and a data availability statement is required. See data availability statement.
- Article processing charges are calculated through SciPris and described on OUP’s open access charges page; the instructions do not give a single fixed amount, so check the charge for your own case there.
Strengths and limits
- Strengths (from the journal’s pages): society ownership, open access to all papers, wide indexing, a stated data and code release rule, and preprint permission.
- Limits to weigh: the impact factor has varied widely year to year; open access publication carries an APC whose amount depends on your circumstances; the scope is molecular-level evolutionary work, so organism-level or purely clinical studies fit less naturally.
Alternatives
Journal choice depends on scope, indexing, review model and cost rather than on one metric. To compare venues on the same footing, use the journals’ own policy pages and the indexers’ lists, and see CiteScore vs impact factor and gold vs green vs diamond vs hybrid open access for how to read metrics and access models.
The journal reports three Clarivate subject categories in which it is ranked. Reading the 2024 rank in each shows how the same journal sits against different sets of competing venues:
| Clarivate category (2024) | Rank reported by the journal | Journals in category |
|---|---|---|
| Evolutionary Biology | 7 | 53 |
| Genetics & Heredity | 24 | 191 |
| Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 66 | 319 |
Source: the journal’s About page, read 2026-11-07.
FAQ
What is the Molecular Biology and Evolution impact factor?
The journal reports 5.3 for 2024 (Clarivate), ranked 7 of 53 in Evolutionary Biology. Earlier years: 11.0 (2023), 10.7 (2022), 8.800 (2021), 16.240 (2020).
Is Molecular Biology and Evolution open access?
Yes. It is fully open access; an APC applies to articles accepted from 1 August 2020, and all papers have been free to access since 1 January 2021.
Who publishes Molecular Biology and Evolution?
Oxford University Press publishes it; the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution owns it.
What peer review model does it use?
Single-anonymized review, typically with two reviewers.
Sources
- Molecular Biology and Evolution, About: academic.oup.com/mbe/pages/About (read 2026-11-07).
- Molecular Biology and Evolution, General Instructions: academic.oup.com/mbe/pages/General_Instructions (read 2026-11-07).
