Journal of Biological Chemistry Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

JBC's abstract format is simple but has specific expectations.

• Word limit: 250 words maximum
• Structure: Unstructured (single paragraph)
• Citations: Not allowed
• Abbreviations: Avoid at first use unless universally recognized (DNA, RNA, ATP)
• Keywords: JBC doesn't require author-supplied keywords. Subject indexing is handled by the editorial team.

The abstract should open with the biological question or problem (one to two sentences), describe the experimental approach briefly, present the main findings with quantitative detail, and close with the significance of the work. JBC editors specifically discourage abstracts that end with vague statements like "the implications of these findings are discussed."

A JBC-specific expectation: the abstract should make the biochemical mechanism or finding explicit. Don't just say "we found that protein X regulates pathway Y." Say how. "We show that protein X phosphorylates residue Ser-247 of protein Z, which disrupts its interaction with protein Y and attenuates pathway activation." Specificity is the currency of JBC abstracts.

JBC is an online-first journal, which gives authors flexibility on figure count and color. There's no strict cap on the number of figures, but most Research Articles include 6 to 8 main figures.

Figure specifications:

Table formatting: Tables should be editable (not images). Use the simplest format possible: horizontal rules at the top, below the header, and at the bottom. No vertical rules. Table footnotes use superscript lowercase letters (a, b, c), not asterisks or numbers.

Figure panel conventions: JBC uses uppercase letters for figure panels (A, B, C), not lowercase. This is consistently enforced. If your figure has panels labeled (a), (b), (c), the production team will flag it for correction.

Multi-panel figures are standard in JBC. A typical research figure might contain 6 to 10 panels showing Western blots, quantification graphs, microscopy images, and controls. Keep the labeling clear and the font size readable at the published column width.

Gel and blot images: JBC has specific requirements for gel electrophoresis and Western blot images. Raw, uncropped blot images must be submitted as supplemental material. Any adjustments to brightness, contrast, or cropping must be applied uniformly across the entire image and disclosed in the figure legend. Splicing of non-adjacent lanes is not permitted unless clearly indicated with dividing lines and explained in the legend.

JBC uses a numbered citation system with some similarities to APA formatting in the reference list.

In-text citations: Superscript numbers, assigned in order of first appearance. For example: "This pathway was first described in 2005^1 and subsequently linked to disease progression^2,3." Multiple citations are separated by commas.

Reference list format:

1. Author, A. B., Author, C. D., and Author, E. F. (Year) Title of the article. J. Biol. Chem. Vol, Pages

Key formatting details:

• Author names: Last name, then initials without periods (e.g., "Smith, J K").
• Use "and" before the last author.
• Year appears in parentheses after the author list.
• Journal titles are abbreviated using standard abbreviations.
• Volume numbers are in bold.
• No issue numbers.
• DOIs are encouraged but not required in the reference list.
• For books: include publisher name, city, and edition.

JBC doesn't impose a formal reference cap, but reviewers expect citations to be relevant and proportional. A focused Research Article typically cites 40 to 60 references. Padding the reference list with tangentially related papers doesn't impress reviewers; it suggests unfocused scholarship.

A style detail that matters: JBC puts the year immediately after the author list, in parentheses, before the article title. This is different from many numbered citation styles that put the year at the end. Getting this wrong makes your manuscript look like it was formatted for a different journal.

JBC supports supplemental material that is published alongside the main article. Supplemental items go through peer review.

Supported supplemental types:

• Supplemental figures and tables (labeled "Fig. S1," "Table S1")
• Raw gel and blot images (required, not optional)
• Extended methods and protocols
• Datasets (Excel, CSV)
• Video files
• Source code

Raw data requirements: JBC mandates that authors submit uncropped, raw images for all gel and blot figures. This is not a suggestion. Manuscripts submitted without raw blot images will be returned before review. The raw images should be organized clearly and labeled to correspond with specific figure panels.

For large datasets, JBC encourages deposition in public repositories. Proteomics data should go to PRIDE or ProteomeXchange. Genomics data should go to GEO or ArrayExpress. Structural data belongs in the PDB. The accession numbers must be cited in the paper and included in the Data Availability section.

Supplemental files don't have a strict size limit, but individual files over 25 MB may cause issues with the submission system. For video files, MP4 format with H.264 encoding is preferred.

These are the details that regular JBC authors know but first-time submitters miss:

STAR-like Experimental Procedures. JBC's Experimental Procedures section follows a structured format inspired by the STAR Methods framework used by Cell Press journals. While JBC doesn't use the exact STAR format, it expects structured subsections covering: reagents (with catalog numbers and vendors), cell lines (with authentication details), experimental protocols, and statistical analysis. This level of methodological detail is higher than what many journals require and reflects JBC's emphasis on reproducibility.

Reagent documentation. JBC requires that antibodies, cell lines, plasmids, and other biological reagents be documented with vendor names, catalog numbers, and lot numbers where applicable. Antibodies need RRID (Research Resource Identifier) numbers. This isn't optional. Manuscripts without proper reagent documentation will be returned.

Data availability statement. Required for all articles. Must specify where the raw data underlying the paper can be accessed. Acceptable options include public repositories, supplemental materials, or "available from the corresponding author upon request" (though public deposition is preferred).

Author contributions. JBC uses the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system. Each author's contributions must be listed using CRediT categories. This section appears after the main text.

Conflict of interest disclosure. Mandatory. Must declare all financial and non-financial conflicts. If there are none, state "The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article."

Funding information. Must be listed as a separate section with grant numbers and funding agency names. JBC complies with funder mandates from NIH, Wellcome Trust, and other major agencies.

Abbreviation footnote. JBC requires a footnote on the first page listing all abbreviations used in the paper. This is distinct from defining abbreviations at first use in the text (which you should also do). The footnote provides a centralized reference list of abbreviations.

Protein and gene nomenclature. JBC follows IUPAC/IUB naming conventions. Gene names should be italicized (e.g., BRCA1). Protein names should not be italicized (e.g., BRCA1). Use official nomenclature from UniProt or HUGO when available.

1. Raw blot images are mandatory. This is the most common reason for manuscripts being returned at JBC. Submit uncropped, unprocessed blot and gel images for every blot figure in the paper.

1. RRID numbers for antibodies. Every antibody must include its RRID (Research Resource Identifier). Check the Antibody Registry if you don't know the RRID for your antibody.

1. Abbreviation footnote on the first page. In addition to defining abbreviations at first use, list them all in a footnote.

1. Uppercase figure panel labels. Use A, B, C, not a, b, c.

1. Year placement in references. The year goes immediately after the author list, in parentheses, before the title. Not at the end of the citation.