Microbial Redox Biology: From Stress Response to Biotechnology

Dear Colleagues,

Redox processes are fundamental to microbial life, influencing metabolism, stress response, adaptation, and interactions with hosts and environments. While classical antioxidant defence mechanisms are essential, recent research highlights the broader impact of redox biology across multiple fields—from microbial pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance to biogeochemical cycling, synthetic biology, and biotechnological applications.

This Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and short communications that address any aspect of redox biology and oxidative stress in microorganisms. Its scope includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Redox homeostasis and regulatory networks;
• Oxidative stress response mechanisms;
• Redox-active metabolites and signalling molecules;
• The interaction of microbes with the host immune system;
• Redox processes in microbial consortia, biofilms, or microbiomes;
• The metabolic engineering of redox pathways in industrial strains;
• Environmental redox biology (e.g., bioremediation, metal reduction/oxidation);
• Emerging tools to study redox (biosensors, omics, modelling);
• Redox balance in antimicrobial action or resistance mechanisms.

We look forward to receiving your contributions, hoping to advance this rapidly expanding field, which holds high translational and cross-disciplinary potential.

Dr. Michal Letek
Dr. Volker Behrends
Topic Editors