Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Reviews (BMBR), a NEW broad-based review journal, is an open access journal that was founded on two key tenets: (1) to publish the most exciting, cutting-edge reviews in all areas of applied biochemistry, industrial microbiology, genomics and proteomics, and metabolic engineering, and (2) to provide the most rapid turn-around time possible for reviewing and publishing. It is our hope these articles will serve teaching and reference tools.