This Week in Microbiology

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 CsrAadditional layers of regulation in the acid stress responseTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 MicrobialFusobacterium dominates colorectal cancersubspecies that might drive colon cancerbacterial strain linked to colon cancerbacteria in tumorsColorectal cancer in the youngSurface colonization by Flavobacterium johnsoniaeTHOR, a model microbiomeTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 SXSWBacteriophage and antibiotic therapyD2 confers colonization resistanceSelected E. coli Outbreak InvestigationsEPEC animationgut microbial metabolomeTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 products from ancient bacterial genomesPlant mRNAs move into fungal pathogensTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 Africacholera outbreak in AfricaPediatric choleraGut complementTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 blue cheese-making fungusThreat to Camenbert cheeseFrench Cheese Under ThreatFungadapt projectMicrobes Make the CheeseYersiniabactin in uropathogenic Escherichia coliPublic goods and cheating in microbesTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 resistanceCRyPTIC consortiumBashTheBugZooniverseMicrobial solutes enhance thrombosisCan our microbiome break our heart?Pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseaseHow Kidneys Work VideoWhat is a metaorganism?Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

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 pathogensGonococcal AMR plasmid from pre-antibiotic eraTWiM Listener survey! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

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 diesAntimicrobial activity of P. nicotinovoransnew antibiotic in soilESKAPETake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 ASMCUETeaching in the time of COVID-19Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 raining for a non-academic careerNature career siteASM career siteUnlocking postdoc career potentialAirway microbiotaA vision for human microbiome researchMicrobes in ModelsClimate change and microbesTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Lipoproteins stabilize germination apparatusA coating of liposomesdetect inflammatory molecules in the gutTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 disputedFungal mycobiome and cancerRevisiting fungal mycobiomeBacteria deliver channels to plant cellsIce nucleation by bacteriaGram-negative bacterial porinsXenopus oocyte toolboxTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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-targetingSea phagesActinobacteriophage databaseuncultured bacteriumThe age of infectionKilling bacteria by teixobactinTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

TWiM reveals that the ice cream manufacturing environment harbors psychrotrophic bacteria, and identification of a deadly bacterial strain causing widespread deaths of newborns in Uganda. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, & Michele Swanson. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Pyschrotrophic bacteria in ice cream plantscontaminated ice creamPaenibacillus infection of infants in UgandaDeadly bacterial strain identifiedTake the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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: phage therapyaptamer and vancomycin Alpha-gal Natural antibodyOil pulling Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

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 interactionHuman Milk: An Ideal FoodDeterminants of Diabetes in the YoungGut microbiome in early childhoodInfloranLabinicCell envelope defects of Klebsiella pneumoniaeA cautionary taleGlobal mortality associated with bacterial pathogensTake the TWiM Listener survey! Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 tectonicsMedea hypothesisEarth’s ferrous wheelThe Great DyingThe Great Oxidation EventBanded iron formationsS. sputigena and tooth decayAcid tolerance mechanisms of S. mutansHalitosis patients' tongue biofilmTake the TWiM Listener survey! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 GoldschmidtDr. Millicent “Mimi” Goldschmidt - Women in MicrobiologyTake the TWiM Listener survey! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv