This Week in Microbiology is a podcast about unseen life on Earth hosted by Vincent Racaniello and friends. Following in the path of his successful shows 'This Week in Virology' (TWiV) and 'This Week in Parasitism' (TWiP), Racaniello and guests produce an informal yet informative conversation about microbes which is accessible to everyone, no matter what their science background.
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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 dependent on aspartate (Cell Host Micr) Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis (Wiki) A Genetic Switch by Mark ...
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 Times) Global change drivers and risk of infectious diseases (Nature) First reported cefiderocol-resistan...
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 Plasticity of small intestinal stoma microbiome (Cell Host Micr) Desert microbial communities (Nat Com...
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 layers of regulation in the acid stress response Take the TWiM Listener surve y! Send your microbiolog...
TWiM reviews a case of E. faecium bacteremia treated with combination bacteriophage and antibiotic therapy, and how dopamine receptor D2 confers colonization resistance via microbial metabolites. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Matters Microbial Distinct Fusobacterium dominates colorectal cancer (Nature) Bacterial subspecies that might drive colon cancer (Nature) A bacterial stra...
TWiM reviews a case of E. faecium bacteremia treated with combination bacteriophage and antibiotic therapy, and how dopamine receptor D2 confers colonization resistance via microbial metabolites. 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 Vincent’s interviews at SXSW Bacteriophage and antibiotic therapy for E. faecium bacteremia ...
TWiM discusses the identification of natural products from reconstructed ancient bacterial genomes, and how plant mRNAs move into a fungal pathogen via extracellular vesicles to reduce infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Petra Levin . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Natural products from ancient bacterial genomes (Science) Plant mRNAs move into fungal pathogens (Cell Host Microb) Take the TWiM Listener surve y! Send your microbiology questions and comment...
TWiM reviews the ongoing cholera outbreak in Africa, and research showing that gut complement induced by the microbiota blocks pathogens and spares commensal bacteria. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Cholera in Southern Africa (Africa CDC) Deadly cholera outbreak in Africa (NY Times) Pediatric cholera in sub-Saharan Africa (Curr Op Ped) Gut complement spares commensals (Cell) Take the TWiM Listener su...
TWiM reveals a new population in the blue cheese-making fungus Penicillium roqueforti and identification of a quorum-sensing autoinducer and siderophore in uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify, Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode New blue cheese-making fungus (Evol Appl) Threat to Camenbert cheese (Guardian) French Cheese Under Threat (CNRS News) Fungadapt project (YouTube) Microbes Make th...
TWiM reveals a database of genome sequences of thousands of Mycobaterium tuberculosis, allowing association with resistance phenotypes to 13 antibiotics, and microbe-derived uremic solutes that enhance thrombosis potential in the host. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode M. tuberculosis genomes and antimicrobial resistance (PLoS Biol) The CRyPTIC consortium BashTheBug Zooniverse Microbial solutes enhance thrombosis (...
TWiM describes the mechanism for the S. aureus itch and scratch induced skin damage, and discovery of a novel class of antibiotics that targets the lipopolysaccharide transporter. Become a patron of TWiM. Links: S. aureus drives itch and scratch behavior (Cell) Staph scratches its itch (Cell) A new class of antibiotics (Nature) A new type of antibiotic (Nature) Novel antibiotic targets LPS transporter (Nature) New antibiotic traps LPS (Nature) Macrocyclic peptide drugs (Science) Music used on TW...
A highly reduced TWiM team presents a study of the use of phage diversity in cell-free DNA to identify bacterial pathogens in human sepsis cases, and the evolution, persistence, and host adaptation of a gonococcal antimicrobial resistance plasmid that emerged in the pre-antibiotic era. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Petra Levin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Phages identify sepsis pathogens (Nat Micro) Gonococcal AMR plasmid from pre-antibiotic era (PLoS Genetics) Take the TWiM L...
On the occasion of TWiM’s 300th episode, we discuss how two college students found a new antibiotic in soil, Barbara Iglewski’s passing, and Elio returns for an appearance. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Guest: Elio Schaechter Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Barbara Iglewski dies Antimicrobial activity of P. nicotinovorans (MicroPubl Biol) 2 NWTC students found a new antibiotic in soil (Green Bay Press Gazette) ESKAPE bacteria grou...
From ASM’s Conference for Undergraduate Educators 2023 in Phoenix, TWiM speaks with Amaya Garcia Costas and Gwendolyn Knapp about their approaches to undergraduate microbiology education, and how they use TWiM as part of their curricula. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin and Michele Swanson . Guest: Amaya Garcia Costas and Gwendolyn Knapp . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode ASMCUE 2023 Teaching in the time of COVID-19 (J Microbiol Biol Edu) Take the TWiM Lis...
TWiM provides thoughts on providing better training for a non-academic career, and help celebrate Black in Microbiology Week with a 2023 paper by Ari Kozik, a co-founder of Black Microbiologists Association and Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson , Petra Levin , Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Better t raining for a non-academic career (Nat Micro) Nature career site ASM career site Prosper - Unlocking pos...
TWiM reviews how a coating of lipoproteins provides a stabilizing environment on the inner membrane of Bacillus subtilis spores, and a miniaturized device that integrates genetically engineered probiotic biosensors with a custom-designed photodetector and readout chip to track mediators of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Petra Levin , Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify, Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. B...
TWiM discusses a dispute about whether the mycobiome plays a role in the development of cancer, and the structure and function of channels that are delivered to plant cells by pathogenic bacteria. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , and Michael Schmidt . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Cancer microbes disputed (Carl Zimmer) Fungal mycobiome and cancer (Nature) Revisiting fungal mycobiome and cancer (Nature) Bacteria deliver channels to plant cells (Nature) Ice nucleation by bacteria (You...
TWiM explains how phages avoid tRNA-targeting host defenses, and discovery of a new antibiotic from an uncultured bacterium that binds to an immutable target. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Petra Levin , Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Phages avoid tRNA-targeting host defenses (eLife) Sea phages Actinobacteriophage database New antibiotic from uncultured bacterium (bioRxiv) The age of infection (For Policy) Killing bacteria by teixobactin (Nature) Take the TWiM...
TWiM delves into two critical microbiology stories. First, the hosts discuss a study on psychrotrophic bacteria, including potentially pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant strains, found in ice cream manufacturing facilities, emphasizing the challenges of maintaining sterile food environments. Second, they reveal the identification of Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus as the cause of widespread, fatal post-infection hydrocephalus in Ugandan infants, detailing the observational study, environmental links, and virulence mechanisms, alongside global implications.
TWiM explains personalized aerosilized phage therapy for a chronic lung infection, and using the combination of antibiotic and a DNA molecule that binds alpha-gal to reduce S. aureus infection in vivo. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Michael Schmidt Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Stitcher , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a Patron of TWiM ! Links for this episode: Aerosolized phage therapy (Nat Comm) Alpha-gal aptamer and vancomycin for MRSA (Microorg) Alpha-gal...
TWiM reveals that breast milk bioactives are essential for development of the infant microbiome and immunity, and how capsule mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae can affect bacterial pathogenesis. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson , Petra Levin , Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Diet-microbe-host interaction in early life (Science) Human Milk: An Ideal Food (Front Ped) Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (Ann NY Acad Sci) Gut microbiome in early childhoo...
TWiM explains how photoferrotrophic bacteria initiated plate tectonics over 2500 million years ago, and how two bacteria work together to cause childhood tooth decay. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson , Petra Levin , Guest: Mark O. Martin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify, Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Bacteria initiated plate tectonics (Geophys Res Lett) Medea hypothesis (Sci Am) Eart...
From ASM Microbe 2023 in Houston, TWiM speaks with Mimi Goldschmidt about her remarkable career in microbiology which included training astronauts to safely bring moon rocks back to Earth. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Petra Levin . Guest: Mimi Goldschmidt Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Mimi Goldschmidt (Wikipedia) Dr. Millicent “Mimi” Goldschmidt - Women in Microbiology (YouTube) Take the TWiM Listener surve y! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees Send your m...
TWiM highlights viral defense and counter-defense: cGAS mediated ubiquitination to counter infection, and viral sponges that sequester nucleotide signals to inactivate immunity. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson , Petra Levin . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Ubiquitin-like conjugation by bacterial cGAS (Nature) Jumpin’ Jack Flash ( TWiV 222 ) Viral sponges inactivate anti-phage immunity (Trends Micro) cGAS and CD-NTase enzymes (Curr Opin Struct Biol) ...
TWiM describes a potential connection between a bacterial protein that damages DNA, and human cancers, and how to synthesize antimicrobial natural products from reconstructed bacterial genomes of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson , and Petra Levin Become a patron of TWiM Links for this episode Colorectal cancer and E. coli (Nature) Natural products from ancient bacterial genomes (Science) Underexplored bacteria reservoirs of antimicro...
TWiM investigates the high variability in the rate and amount of current production from microbial fuel cells, and how bacteria link their growth rate to external nutrient conditions via a protein that functions as a cellular rheostat. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Petra Levin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify, Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Variability in microbial fuel cells (Appl Environ Mic...
TWiM reveals environmental integrons, bacterial genetic elements notorious for their role in spreading antibiotic resistance, and how Salmonella invasion is controlled by competition among intestinal chemical signals. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , and Michele Swanson . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Environmental integrons (Trends Micro) Integrons: agents of bacterial evolution (Nat Rev Micro) Rethinking microbial infallibility in the metagenomics era (Fems Micro...
TWiM reveals a new type of satellite virus that requires only phage tails for producing infectious virus particles, and that highly virulent plague bacteria differs from its innocuous enteric predecessor by its resistance to lysis by human complement. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Michael Schmidt . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts , Spotify, Google Podcasts , Android , RSS , or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Viruses that steal bacteriophage tails (Cell Host M...
TWiM reveals housefly dispersal of antimicrobial resistant bacteria, and a reproductive organ in squid linked to symbiotic bacteria. Become a patron of TWiM Links for this episode Housefly dispersal of antimicrobial resistant E. coli (Appl Micro Int) Antibiotic use in farming (Nature) Antimicrobial use in food producing animals (PLoS Glob Pub Health) Reproductive organ linked to symbiotic bacteria (mBio) Skype a Scientist Take the TWiM Listener surve y! Music used on TWiM is composed and perform...
TWiM reveals quorum-sensing systems that regulate intestinal inflammation and permeability caused by P. aeruginosa, and how plasmids manipulate bacterial behavior through translational regulatory crosstalk. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Michael Schmidt , Michele Swanson , Petra Levin . Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Quorum-sensing in the intestine (mBio) Block quorum sensing, block biofilm (Antimicrob Agents Chemother) Plasmids manipulate bacterial behavior (PLoS Biol) Regulatory ...
