Chemolithoautotrophic Microorganisms—Pioneers of Biospheric Evolution and Sustainable Biotechnology
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 215
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Because Earth's evolutionary trajectory unfolded over billions of years, the emergence of primordial life forms represents a crucial aspect of scientific inquiry. Chemolithoautotrophs, potentially Earth's earliest life forms, have emerged as critical model systems for elucidating the primordial mechanisms underlying biogenesis and early biological evolution. These remarkable organisms maintain an unparalleled ecological ubiquity, thriving across habitats that range from terrestrial soils and aquatic ecosystems to extreme environments; this includes deep-sea hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, acid mine drainage systems, and subsurface lithospheric zones.
Their evolutionary success is fundamentally rooted in unique metabolic strategies that drive global biogeochemical cycles, such as carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, hydrogen, metals, and so on. This metabolic versatility positions these microorganisms at the interface of multiple scientific disciplines, from astrobiology and paleogeochemistry to modern ecosystem modeling.
Contemporary research has revealed their extensive biotechnological potential via several groundbreaking discoveries:
(1) The development of bioleaching technologies for sustainable metal recovery;
(2) Innovative approaches to the environmental bioremediation of contaminated sites;
(3) Bioenergy production through microbial fuel cell optimization;
(4) Carbon sequestration strategies that leverage autotrophic carbon fixation pathways;
(5) The production of single-cell proteins.
This Special Issue seeks to compile cutting-edge research that spans the following topics:
- Genomic and phylogenetic investigations of ancient metabolic pathways;
- Novel mechanisms of chemolithotrophic energy conservation;
- Extreme environmental adaptation strategies;
- Microbial–mineral interactions ;
- Industrial applications in circular bioeconomy frameworks;
- The astrobiological implications of the detection of extraterrestrial life.
We welcome contributions that employ multidisciplinary approaches—from molecular phylogenetics and synthetic biology to geochemical analytics and computational modeling—that advance our understanding of these extraordinary microorganisms. Both fundamental research and applied technological innovations will be considered, including studies that associated evolutionary insights with modern biotechnological applications.
Through this collection, we aim to establish new paradigms for understanding life's origins and develop sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges in environmental management, industrial processes, and climate change mitigation.
Dr. Lijing Jiang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms
- ancient metabolic pathways
- extreme environmental
- microbial–mineral interactions
- industrial applications
- extraterrestrial life
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
