This Week in Microbiology

TWiM explains how a mutualistic model bacterium can become lethal in a non-symbiotic host, and engineering a kill switch into a tuberculosis vaccine for improved safety. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and perfor...

TWiM explains a study of the unique and extreme microbial and chemical environment on the International Space Station, and the connection between the gut microbiome and pain in fibromyalgia. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode ISS...

TWiM describes isolation of a novel bacterial species isolated from the China Space Station, and how a chemical radar allows bacteria to detect and kill predators. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and  Petra Levin. Guest Mark O. Martin . Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Niallia tian...

TWiM explains how to recode E. coli so it uses only one stop codon, and an exploration of the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion within dental plaque. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Engineering E. coli with one stop...

TWiM explains Pasteur's relentless hunt for microbes in the air, and how bacteria hunt for prey by ixotrophy - using grappling hooks! Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Pasteur's hunt for microbes in the air (NYTimes)...

TWiM describes Shigella infection is facilitated by interaction of human enteric α-defensin 5 with a colonic epithelial receptor, and an amino acid change in RNA polymerase that leads to resistance to β-lactams by preventing dysregulation of amino acid and nucleotide metabolism Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcast...

TWiM explains the remarkable abilities of bacterial ice nucleating proteins to promote freezing of water, and cryoprotective proteins produced by worm microbiomes that prevent freezing. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episo...

TWiM explores the discovery of microbial enzymes, PETases, that can degrade ubiquitous plastics, and how exogenous peptidoglycan is a danger signal to trigger biofilm formation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson . Guest Mark O. Martin . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is comp...

TWiM reveals that record high atmospheric methane growth has been driven by microbes, and the cecum as an adaptive niche for Salmonella typhi. Hosts: Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. L...

From ASMCUE 2024, the conference on undergraduate education, TWiM speaks with Becky, Melanie, and Katriana about their careers and how they use TWiM in undergraduate microbiology education. Hosts: Michael Schmidt and Mark O. Martin Guests: Becky Seipel-Thiemann , Melanie Melendrez-Vallard , and Katriana Popichak Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Android , RSS , or by email. Be...

TWiM describes how to make concrete more 'green' by using microbes, and bacterial bioluminescence as an important regulator of multitrophic interactions in the soil. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson and and Mark O. Martin . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by...

TWiM explains how ticagrelor alters the membrane of S. aureus and enhances the activity of vancomycin and daptomycin without eliciting cross-resistance, and the development of a novel continuous disinfectant technology that decreases healthcare-associated infections in ICUs by 70%. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode T...

TWiM focuses on recent foodborne outbreaks of bacterial infections, and how nanopore sequencing technology can be used to identify pathogenic microbes and antimicrobial resistance genes in food products. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Foodborne outbreaks (CDC) Race to nourish a warming worl d (Gates Fo...

TWiM travels to the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases to learn how research conducted at USAMRIID leads to vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and training programs that protect both warfighters and civilians. Hosts: Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Guests: Norman Kreiselmeir, Christopher K Coat, Keersten Ricks, and Eric Nguyen Links for this episode: U.S. Ar...

TWiM explains a project to engineer the cow microbiome to reduce emissions of methane, and the finding of antibiotic resistance genes in the genomes of giant viruses. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Engineering the cow f...

TWiM explains how bacterial community structure can be used to predict athletic performance in racehorses, and the idea that a tiny fraction of all species forms most of Nature. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Mark O. Martin . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Microbiome picks a winner (Sci Rep) Picking a Winner by Reading the Form Hen's Teeth and Horse'...

TWiM explains unique modifications in the energy conservation pathways linked to methanogenesis in an Archaeon, and mechanisms of white nose fungal invasion of cells from the Little Brown Bat. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Methyl-reducing methanogenesis (Nature) Pathogenic strategies of Pseudogymnoasc...

TWiM describes experiments to explore gut microbiota signatures of vulnerability to food addiction in mice and humans, and how a phage tail-like protein suppresses competitors in populations of bacteria of plants. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Gut microbiota and food addiction (Probiotics) Blautia may...

TWiM explores evolution and host adaptation of Pseudomonas infections of plants, and the impact of COVID-19 on ESBL-producing E. coli on urinary tract and blood infections. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Michael Schmidt . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Evolution and host adaptation of Pseudomonas (Science) Type III secretion system , infection by injection (Nat Comm) Demographic in...

TWiM explores the deep-dwelling microbes that sculpt our planet, and the use of microbes in bioelectronics to manage inflammation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Deep-dwelling microbes that sculpt our planet (NY Times) Living bioelectronics resolve inflammation (Science) Active biointegrated living ele...

From ASM Microbe in Atlanta, Georgia, Arturo joins TWiM to reveal the threats that fungi pose to human health, including the notorious Candida auris and many more and how committed experts are researching ways to save us and our food supplies. Hosts: Michael Schmidt , Mark O. Martin Guest: Arturo Casadevall Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/nKJe5xNUocU Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this ep...

TWiM explains a new mechanism for preventing lysogeny through temperate phage-antibiotic synergy, and Salmonella expansion in the murine gut dependency on aspartate derived from reactive oxygen species-mediated microbiota lysis. Hosts: Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Temperate phage-antibiotic synergy (mBio) Salmonella expansion d...

TWiM explores how climate change may be increasing our risks to infectious disease and then how the Odyssey literally comes alive in our microbial world but fear not, unlike the Trojans, the bacteria are fighting back and have developed resistance to this novel class of newly developed antimicrobials.    Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Environmental changes fueling diseases (NY Ti...

TWiM explores the plasticity of the adult human small intestinal stoma microbiota, and survival and rapid resuscitation that permit limited productivity in desert microbial communities. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Pl...

Today on TWiM, a charcuterie invasion, and how that acid in your stomach may protect from the invading hordes of microbes. Hosts: Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode 2024 Salmonella outbreak linked to charcuterie meats  Multitier regulation of the E. coli extreme acid stress response by CsrA Commentary: Peeling the onion: additional l...