The TWiM team reveals an extremely low rate of mutation in a 2500 year old, 185 acre fungus in Michigan, and how a host-produced quorum sensing autoinducer controls the phage switch between lysis and lysogeny. Please take the TWiM listener survey Vote for NJ State Microbe Huge fungus is 2500 years old (Proc Roy Soc B) Humongous fungus (Wikipedia) Host-produced autoinducer controls phage (Cell) These bacteria are bugged (virology blog) Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes , Google Podcasts , Stitch...
Jan 18, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 192
The TWiM team reveals the oldest human plague from 4,900 years ago in Sweden, and engineering E. coli to become an endosymbiont in yeast, modeling the evolution of mitochondria. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Elio Schaechter , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Get the entire ASM Podcast Network via our Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Oldest human plague from 4,900 years...
Dec 21, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 191
The TWiM-opods consider two stories about exosomes, vesicles that are shed from cells: those that eliminate airway pathogens, and those from the plants we eat that shape our gut microbiome. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Get the entire ASM Podcast Network via our Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Exosome swarms eliminate airway pathogens...
Dec 07, 2018•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 190
The TWiM team considers the state of the world’s fungi as revealed by a report from the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens, and how Salmonella loses motility to evade host defenses. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Elio Schaechter , and Michele Swanson Take our listener survey. Thanks! asm.org/twimpoll Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes , Google Podcasts , Stitcher , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a Patron of TWiM !...
Nov 16, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 189
The TWiM rock stars show how to modify gram-positive antibiotics so they can kill gram-negative cells, and bacteria that have both DNA and RNA in their genome. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Michael Schmidt Links for this episode Antibiotics for gram-positives that kill gram-negatives (J Med Chem) Sideromycin commentary (Am Council Sci Health) Bacterial genome with DNA and RNA (J Am Chem Soc) Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Get the entir...
Oct 31, 2018•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 188
The TWiM people reveal that phages must cooperate to overcome CRISPR-Cas defenses, and the effect of the herbicide glyphosate on the gut microbiome of honey bees. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Elio Schaechter , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes , Google Podcasts , Stitcher , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a Patron of TWiM ! Links for this episode: Phages Cooperate to Overcome CRISPR-Ca...
Oct 19, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 187
The TWiM team describe the involvement of a microbiome in snail metamorphosis, and using Listeria to kill tumors. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Get the entire ASM Podcast Network via our Microbeworld app . Become a Patron of TWiM ! Links for this episode Infectious diseases after Florence (Med Inf Dis) Cryptic niche switching in gastropod (Proc Roy Soc B) Metamorphosis...
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 186
The TWiM team considers the increasing tolerance of Enterococcus to handwash alcohols, and how the study of DNA in ancient dung reveals the diet and parasite burden of extinct New Zealand birds. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes , Google Podcasts , Stitcher , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a Patron of TWiM ! Episode Links: Hand sanitizer alert (Emerg Inf Dis) Bacteria becoming hand sanitizer tolerant (NPR) Increasing tol...
Sep 21, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 185
Sam Sternberg discusses his work on exploring and exploiting CRISPR-Cas immune systems, beginning as a graduate student with Jennifer Doudna, at a biotech start-up, and in his laboratory at Columbia University. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: Sam Sternberg Become a Patron of TWiM ! Links for this episode Sternberg Laboratory at Columbia Mechanism of substrate selection by Cas9 (RNA) DNA interrogation by Cas9 (Nature) Conformational control of DNA target cleavage by Cas9 (Nature) A Crack in Creat...
Sep 07, 2018•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 184
The TWiMpeeps discuss two symbioses: a parasitoid bacterium of a heterotrophic protist, and fungal parasites in cicadas. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Parasitoid bacterium of protist (bioRxiv) Fungal symbiont recruitment in cicadas (PNAS) Fly by virus ( TWiEVO 33 ) The Atlantic “How to Tame a Zombie Fungus” by Ed Yong Image credit Letters read on TWiM 183 Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions a...
Aug 23, 2018•57 min•Ep. 183
The TWiM hosts reveal how to test antimicrobial susceptibility in less than 30 minutes, and a carbonate-sensitive phytotransferrin in diatoms that controls iron uptake. Become a Patron of TWiM ! Links for this episode: Legionnaire’s Disease with Michele Swanson Antibiotic susceptibility in less than 30 min (PNAS) S. saprophyticus growing in microfluidic chip (movie, PNAS) Mother machine (Jun lab) E. coli growth in mother machine (YouTube) Diatom phytotransferrin (Nature) CRISPR tool kit (Nat Com...
Aug 09, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 182
Vincent speaks with John Warhol about state microbes, the Periodic Table of the Microbes, and why microbiology is cooler than astrophysics, but they have better TV shows. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: John Warhol Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Android , RSS , or by email. Get the entire ASM Podcast Network via our Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode State Microbe (Wikipedia) Micro Minutes! (tumblr) Warhol Science on Etsy Periodic Ta...
Jul 26, 2018•58 min•Ep. 181
Vincent speaks with Mark O. Martin about microbial centricity, teaching undergraduates microbiology, lux art, painting with glowing bacteria, tardigrades and much more at ASM Microbe 2018. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: Mark O. Martin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Android , RSS , or by email. Get the entire ASM Podcast Network via our Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Microbial menagerie All creatures great and small Carski Award ...
Jul 13, 2018•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 180
The TwiModulators discuss aerosolization of bacteria and viruses in an ocean-atmosphere mesocosm, and how the common practice of decontaminating produce with chlorine produces viable but non-culturable pathogens. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Taxon-specific aerosolization of bacteria and viruses (Nat Commun) Chlorine produces viable but non-culturable bacteria (mBio) Chlorine washing fails bacteria test (Guardian) Foodborne illness in US : Major pathogens (CDC) Chlorine diluti...
Jun 29, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 179
The TWiM team travels to ASM Microbe 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia to speak with Christina Kellogg about her career and her research on coral microbial ecology. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Elio Schaechter and Michele Swanson Guest: Christina Kellogg Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes , Stitcher , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a Patron of TWiM ! Links for this episode: Christina Kellogg on twitter Coral micro...
Jun 15, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 178
The TWiM team discuss bacteriophage evolution in a dairy plant, and killing of less fit cells among social microbes. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson , and Elio Schaechter . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Links for this episode A decade of phage evolution (Appl Env Micr) Animation of phage infection (Vimeo) Double agar assay for phage (Dairy Science) Sibling confl...
Jun 01, 2018•55 min•Ep. 177
Vincent, Michael and Elio note the passing of Stanley Falkow, give E. coli an archaeal membrane, and show how the microbiome can make worms live longer. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Elio Schaechter . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Fecal transplants in the good old days (STC) Stanley Falkow, 84 Loss of an old army buddy (STC)...
May 17, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 176
The TWiM team notes the passing of Allan Campbell, and explains how aminoglycoside antibiotics like neomycin enhance host resistance to viral infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Happy Birthday , Elio! (STC) Allan Campbell , 88 (Stanford News) Life in Science by Allan Campb...
May 02, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 175
The TWiMsters explain why untreatable typhoid fever might be on the way, and the evolution of fungal virulence in tropical frogs. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Elio Schaechter. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Extensively drug resistant Salmonella typhi (mBio) A Gathering Storm (mBio) Typhoid vaccine recommendations (CDC) Chang...
Apr 19, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 174
The Masters of the Microbiological Universe discuss the humongouest fungus, and a commensal bacterium that protects against skin neoplasia. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Fertile prototaxites (Proc Royal Soc B) The humongousest fungus (STC) Commensal Staphylococcu...
Mar 30, 2018•59 min•Ep. 173
The TWiMmers discuss culture-independent discovery of malacidin antibiotics, and unfolding of relaxase during bacterial conjugation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Malacidins from soils (Nat Micro) Excellent antibiotic resistance threat report (CDC, pdf) Jo Handel...
Mar 15, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 172
The TWiM team explores a stingless bee that requires a fungal steroid to pupate, and colonic biofilms containing tumorigenic bacteria in patients with colorectal polyps. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Elio Schaechter. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Bee larvae require fungal steroid to pupate (Sci Rep) Biofilm refuge for tumori...
Feb 22, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 171
The TWiM team reveals that spread of plague was likely by human ectoparasites, not rats, and deconstruct a durable, broadly protective protein nanoparticle influenza virus vaccine. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Ectoparasites and plague (PNAS) SIR model for spread of disease (MAA) Protein nanoparticle flu vaccines (Nat Commun) Food washing (USDA) Image credit Letters read on TWiM 170 Send your mic...
Feb 08, 2018•56 min•Ep. 170
The cast of TWiM reveals how uropathogenic E. coli use a copper-binding protein to treat copper as a nutrient or a toxin, and Antarctic soil bacteria that survive on trace atmospheric gases. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Copper import in E. coli (Nat Chem Biol) C...
Jan 23, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 169
Dickson joins the TWiM team to discuss the nasal microbiota of dairy farmers, and attenuation of bacterial virulence by quorum sensing in the maize weevil. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson . Guest: Dickson Despommier Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Nasal microbiota of dairy farmers (PLoS One) Measuring species ri...
Jan 05, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 168
How pandemic influenza viruses suppress immunogenic cell death, and 3D printing of bacteria into functional materials.
Dec 22, 2017•53 min
Vincent and Elio discuss the reason for poor efficacy of one of the influenza virus vaccines, and using a hyperthermophilic anaerobe to produce hydrogen from fruit and vegetable wastes in seawater. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Elio Schaechter. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone , Android , RSS , or by email. You can also listen on your mobile device with the ASM Podcast app . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Glycosylation site on influenza H3N2 viruses (PNAS) Biohydrogen producti...
Dec 07, 2017•51 min•Ep. 166
The TWiM team discusses the use of copper on exercise weights to reduce bacterial burden, and the mechanism of antigenic variation by which a fungus that causes severe pneumonia escapes the immune system. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Elio Schaechter, Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson Links for this episode: Reducing bacteria on exercise weights with copper (Am J Inf Contr) Antigenic variation in Pneumocystis jirovecii (mBio) Letters read on TWiM 165...
Nov 30, 2017•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 165
From Indiana University, Vincent speaks with Ankur, Julia, and Xindan about their careers and their work on horizontal gene transfer, quorum sensing, and chromosome organization in bacteria. Guests: Ankur Dalia , Julia Van Kessel , and Xindan Wang Watch the video version! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifGCe-qfnA0 Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Dalia laboratory Van Kessel laboratory Wang laboratory Indiana U Dept of Biology Vibrio DNA uptake and chitin (Environ Micro) Activati...
Nov 16, 2017•59 min•Ep. 164
This episode is all about saliva: how certain bacteria survive in it, and how swallowing saliva might cause intestinal inflammation. Links for this episode: Genes for the Streptococcus pyogenes fitness in human saliva (mSphere) Swallowed bacteria drive colonic inflammation (Science) Intestinal inflammation induced by oral bacteria (Science) Human oral microbiome (J Bact) T cell subsets (Nat Rev Imm) Image credit...
Nov 02, 2017•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 163
