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The podcast for microbe lovers: reporting on exciting news about bacteria, archaea, and sometimes even eukaryotic microbes and viruses.
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.
All about the microbes we encounter in our daily lives (with or without realizing it). The Joyful Microbe podcast helps you see how bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa live everywhere around us and constantly impact our lives. Host Justine Dees, PhD talks to microbiology experts of all kinds to share the amazing variety of these fascinating microorganisms. Usually, we think of infections, but microbiology is SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
My ramblings and thoughts as I scurry around on this rock in space like all the creatures, bacteria, archaea, and amoebae before me.
A podcast where we talk to scientists about the paths they’ve taken to get where they are today and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
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BacterioFiles
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477: Hijackers Hitchhike on Hyphal Highways
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This episode: Bacteriophages can hitch a ride on bacteria they don't infect to travel through soil on fungal filaments, potentially helping their carriers by infecting and killing their competitors! Download Episode (7.1 MB, 10.3 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Epinotia aporema granulovirus News item Takeaways For tiny bacteria, partia…
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…
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BacterioFiles
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476: Bamboo Breakdown Benefits Beetle Babies
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This episode: Beetles inoculate bamboo with a fungus that consumes the bamboo sugars to feed the beetle larvae! Download Episode (7.7 MB, 11.2 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Saccharomyces cerevisiae virus L-BC (La) News item Video: Lizard beetle laying its egg Takeaways The structural polymers that make up plants, such as cellulose, c…
TWiM presents a protocol for evolving caffeine-tolerant yeast by high school students in the home, and how predator-prey dynamics change when multiple bacteria grow together in biofilms. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, Petra Levin. Guest: Mark O. Martin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast…
This episode: New techniques allow specific modifications in certain members of a complex community of microbes, without isolating them in pure culture first! Download Episode (11.5 MB, 16.7 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Tomato golden mosaic virus News item Takeaways The technology for understanding and manipulating microbial genetic…
TWiM explains the synthesis in bacteria of new energy-dense biofuels that can replace rocket and jet fuels, and the use of nanopore sequencing to improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with serious infections. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Biosynthesis of high energy biofuels (Joule) Polyketide synthases in bacteria (PNAS) S…
TWiM explains how magnesium modulates cell division frequency of a soil bacillus, and killing of fungi by Acinetobacter baumannii via a Type VI DNase Effector. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Android, RSS, or by email. Become a Patron…
This episode: Predatory bacteria could protect lobster farms from disease-causing bacteria! Download Episode (4.8 MB, 7 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Gordonia rubripertincta Takeaways Antibiotics have done wonders for controlling bacterial pathogens. Many people have lived that would otherwise have died, and some industries have prod…
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This Week in Microbiology
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279: A Road Map For Successful Phage Therapy
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1:01:47
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TWiM describes successful phage therapy against a mycobacterial lung infection, and how encapsulation of the cell wall protects S. pneumoniae from its major peptidoglycan hydrolase and host defenses. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Phage therapy against M. abscessus lung infection (Cell) Encapsulation of the septal cell wall protec…
TWiM explores the relationship between the gut microbiome and depressive symptoms, and how purine nucleotides act as adjuvants to antibiotics. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Android, RSS, or by email. Become a Patron of TWiM! Links for this episo…
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BacterioFiles
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473: Bacteriophage Bunks in Bacterial Barriers
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This episode: A bacteriophage that overcomes the bacterial CRISPR/Cas immune system by interrupting the CRISPR DNA with its own genome! Download Episode (6.8 MB, 10 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Wenzhou mammarenavirus Takeaways Bacteria have many ways to resist being exploited by bacteriophage viruses, including the adaptable CRISPR/…
On this episode of TWiM, we reveal widespread stop-codon recoding in bacteriophages that may regulate translation of lytic genes, and how Staphylococcus aureus inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Stop codon recoding in bacteriophages…
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This Week in Microbiology
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276: Bacterial Multicellularity Near An Underground Stream
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TWiM presents evidence that over half of human pathogenic diseases are impacted by climate change, and considers how a novel prokaryote discovered next to an underground stream illuminates the pathway to multicellularity. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Mark Martin. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Climate…
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BacterioFiles
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472: Caulobacter Condensates Compartmentalize Kinase
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This episode: Bacteria can use blobs of disordered proteins to quickly adapt to new conditions! Thanks to Dr. Saumya Saurabh for his contribution! Download Episode (10.9 MB, 15.9 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Drosophila melanogaster Micropia virus Takeaways Bacteria can adapt to environmental fluctuations via mechanisms operating at …
TWiM reveals high rates of co-transformation of plasmids in E. coli overturns the clonality myth, and bacterial membrane vesicles as a novel strategy for extrusion of the antimicrobial bismuth in H. pylori. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Petra Levin Links for this episode The myth of clonality (Sci Rep) Bacterial membrane vesicles …
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This Week in Microbiology
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274: Bacterial Endosymbionts Block Giant Viruses
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Mark Martin returns to TWiM to join the discussion of how to design a complex gut microbiome, and protection of protists from virus infection by intracellular bacterial symbionts. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Design of a complex gut microbiome (Cell) Def…
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Joyful Microbe
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Microbiology Education Ideas and Tips From The Joyful Microbe Community
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We are celebrating, microbe friends! This month marks the 4th anniversary of Joyful Microbe!!! I’ve had such a blast creating articles, podcast episodes, and other resources to help you enjoy microbes in your daily lives and spread knowledge about the microbial world with others. In this episode, I’m featuring ideas and tips about microbiology educ…
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Joyful Microbe
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How To Nurture Your Skin Microbiome: Dr. Julie O’Sullivan
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A vast number of microbes live on our skin, in our gut, and almost everywhere else you can imagine on and in our bodies. Collectively, these microbes are called the human microbiome and play a crucial role in our health and well-being. Different locations on our bodies contain a specific set of microbes, which are individual microbiomes, i.e., the …
TWiM reveals how to inactivate norovirus on formica surfaces, and how to achieve antibiotic resistance by suppression of a frameshift mutation in an essential gene. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Android, RSS, or by email. Become a pa…
TWiM explores the activation of natural product synthesis using CRISPR interference in Streptomyces, and how light/dark and temperature cycling modulate Electron Flow in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Activating natural product synthesis (N…
This episode: A phage both kills bacterial pathogens and selects for reduced virulence! Download Episode (6.3 MB, 9.9 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Helminthosporium victoriae 145S virus News item Takeaways Using bacteria-killing viruses to treat bacterial infections, or phage therapy, can be a good alternative to antibiotics in some …
TWiM presents a novel mucosal COVID-19 vaccine based on a bacteriophage capsid, and potentiation of C. difficile infection severity by the gut bacterial community. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Bacteriophage based COVID-19 vaccine (mBio) Gut microbiome potentiates C. difficile disease (mBio) Letters read on TWiM 271 Music used on…
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This Week in Microbiology
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270: Magnets and Salt Improve Plastics Production by Archaea
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TWiM explores the use of Archaea to produce plastics from molasses wastewater, and a bacterial defense against bacteriophage infection that involves depletion of deoxynucleotides. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Improving plastics production by Archaea (Appl Environ Micro) Biodegradability of PHA (Green Chem) What does tesla mean fo…
Tardigrades are beloved microorganisms. These little water bears hide in moss, lichen, and bark of trees. When kids discover tardigrades, it often sparks an interest in science. If you haven’t personally experienced finding a tardigrade under the microscope, I promise it makes a significant impact. In this podcast episode, you’ll get the chance to …
TWiM reviews discovery of a bacterium that is visible to the naked eye, and reversible resistance to bacteriophage by shedding of the bacterial cell wall. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode A bacterium that is not a microbe (Science) Overwhelming microbial greatness (TWiM 261) Medical illustrator Kellie Holoski Bacteriophage resistance…
This episode: Tiny bacteria that live on larger bacteria reduce the inflammation and gum disease the bigger microbes cause in the mouths of mice! Download Episode (6.3 MB, 9.2 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Actinomadura viridilutea Takeaways Even bacteria can be hosts to smaller symbionts living on them. Some kinds of these extremely …
TWiM discusses citizen science surveillance of drug-resistant Aspergillus in garden soil, and the mechanism of action of a copper dependent antibiotic. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Fanny Hesse (Microbial Menagerie) Citizen science surveillance of Aspergillus (App Envir Micro) Aspergillum (Wikipedia) DMDC, copper dependent antibio…
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This Week in Microbiology
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267: The Honey Badger of Pathogens With Heran Darwin
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From ASM Microbe 2022 in Washington, DC, Heran joins TWiM to discuss her career and her work on the agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson Guest: Heran Darwin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Honey badger of pathogens (EMBO Rep) Pup-proteasome system (PNAS) C…
TWiM explains how spindle-shaped Archaeal viruses evolved from rod-shaped ancestors to package a larger genome, and transcriptional recording by CRISPR acquisition from RNA. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode From rods to spindles (Cell) Spindle-shaped virus movie (Cell) Bacteria that record (Science) Transcriptional recording with CRI…
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Joyful Microbe
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The Microbiology of Fermented Foods: Dr. John Leech
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Fermented foods like beer, wine, bread, sauerkraut, yogurt, and kombucha are delicious to eat and fun to make at home. And we can give credit to microbes for the wonderful flavors of these foods. The process of fermentation is when microbes transform food so that it extends its shelf life, improves the taste, or makes it beneficial to consume. In t…
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This Week in Microbiology
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256: Antiviral Hotspots and Desiccation Tolerance
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TWiM explains the discovery of hotspots of genetic variation containing reservoirs of anti-phage systems in E. coli phages and their parasitic satellites, and pathogen desiccation tolerance promoted by hydrophilins. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Phage and satellite antiviral systems (Cell Host Micro) Hydropilins promote desiccatio…
TWiM reveals that the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine promotes multiple antibiotic resistance in E. coli, and treatment with Bifidobacterium lactis probiotic benefits patients with coronary artery disease. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Antipsychotic promotes antimicrobial resistance (J Bact) Probiotic benefits patients with cor…
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Joyful Microbe
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Microbiology Activities for High School Students: Jessica Popescu
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The K-12 curriculum does not cover microbiology much at all. But this area of science matters. Children need a complete understanding of the microorganisms that play roles in our health, like the microbiome, and diseases, like germs. That way, they’ll carry these concepts into adulthood, ultimately helping keep them healthier. Despite the lack of m…
TWiM explains the use of lavender oil to disrupt Listeria biofilms, and how treatment of catheters with liquid silicone reduces associated urinary tract infections. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Lavender oil prevents biofilms (Lett Appl Micro) Silicone-infused catheters reduce infection (eLife) Viable but not culturable (TWiM 179)…
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BacterioFiles
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469: Prophage Provides Partial Protection
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This episode: A virus lurking in a bacterial genome protects its host population from infection with other phages, by killing off infected cells! Download Episode (7.6 MB, 11.0 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Olive latent ringspot virus Takeaways Many bacteriophages just go in and gobble up all their host's resources to make a bunch of…
TWiM welcomes new host Petra, and explains how a small protein helps ensure that E. coli utilizes a preferred carbon source, and a screening strategy to identify inhibitors of the type IV secretion system that is essential for virulence of a variety of bacterial pathogens. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin…
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Joyful Microbe
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Micronovo’s Microbiology Books for Kids: Dr. Mike Manefield
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How do you explain microbiology to a child? It’s an abstract topic since you can’t readily see microbes due to their size. So, to help your kids visualize microbes, you can read them a children’s book specifically about microbiology. I’ve featured a few excellent microbiology books for kids before on Joyful Microbe. But after I found out about Dr. …
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This Week in Microbiology
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261: Overwhelming Microbial Greatness
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Mark returns to TWiM to join in a discussion of soil microbiota as game-changers in restoration of degraded lands, and discovery of a centimeter-long bacterium, the biggest yet discovered. Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Game-changing soil microbiota (Science) A World Without Soil by Jo Handlesman A World With…
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Joyful Microbe
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Painting with colorful antibiotics from bacteria: Dr. Vineetha Zacharia
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The words bacteria and beauty are not usually associated. But some bacteria make beautiful colors that span the entire rainbow. And one type of bacteria called Streptomyces coelicolor makes an antibiotic with a lovely blue pigment. This blue-colored antibiotic, called actinorhodin, inspired microbiologist Dr. Vineetha Zacharia, a postdoctoral resea…
This episode: Harmless gut microbes resist cholera with good defense or better offense! Download Episode (5.8 MB, 8.4 minutes) Show notes: Microbe of the episode: Streptomyces corchorusii News item Takeaways The community of microbes in our guts is highly diverse, yet generally they all coexist relatively peacefully. Some pathogens can invade this …
In this food-centric TWiM, we reveal the microbiomes of carnivorous vulture bees and of Gala apples from all over the world. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Microbiome of vulture bees (mBio) Bees previously in TWiM 245 Microbiome of Gala apples (Envir Micro) Apple flower microbiome (mBio) TWiM Listener survey Music used on TWiM is c…
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Roots to STEM Podcast
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S2E9: Invertebrates, museums, windsurfing and more with Dr. Gonzalo Giribet
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In this episode, we’re hearing from Dr. Gonzalo Giribet, who is a Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and the Curator of Invertebrates and Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Gonzalo received his bachelor’s degree and his PhD from the University of Barcelona, then did his postdoc at the American Museum of Natural History in …
Mark Martin returns to TWiM for a discussion of the frightening global burden of bacterial antibiotic resistance, and a solution to the problem of daylight nitrogen fixation in a cyanobacterium, despite the incompatibility of nitrogenase with oxygen produced during photosynthesis. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Global bacterial an…
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Roots to STEM Podcast
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S2E8: Dr. Paula Welander on geobiology, archaea, and how to come up with good questions
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In today’s episode we’re talking to Dr. Paula Welander, an Associate Professor in the Earth Systems Science Department at Stanford University. Although she is now a tenured professor at Stanford, this certainly wasn’t the plan from the start. Paula’s parents immigrated from Mexico in the hopes of giving their family a better life, and they really e…
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Joyful Microbe
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The superpowers of bacteria: Dr. Sarah Wettstadt (BacterialWorld)
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Dr. Sarah Wettstadt is the founder of the BacterialWorld blog and loves sharing about bacteria and all of the amazing things they do in the world. So I know you’ll enjoy hearing this episode where we talk about the superpowers bacteria have and how bacteria can help us save the world. In this episode, you will learn about… 4 bacterial superpowers 3…
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Roots to STEM Podcast
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S2E7: The value of PhD soft skills with Dr. Rebecca Shaw, Chief Scientist at the World Wildlife Fund
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In this week’s episode, we’re hearing from Dr. Rebecca Shaw, the Chief Scientist at the World Wildlife Fund. Rebecca received her MA in environmental policy and her PhD in energy and resources from UC Berkeley. After finishing her PhD, Rebecca did a postdoc at the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford, and then worked at the Nature Conservan…
TWiM explains how bacterial symbionts regulate tick blood feeding activity, and the reasons why antibiotics exist. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, and Michael Schmidt Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Android, RSS, or by email. Become a Patron of TWiM! Links for this episode: Symbionts help ticks to feed (Ce…
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Roots to STEM Podcast
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Bonus: STEM Grad School Interview Tips & Advice
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In this bonus episode, Steph shares some tips for grad school interviews. This episode is broken down into advice for before, during, and after the interviews. Here are some additional resources that were mentioned in the show: Template for thank you note to faculty: Hi Dr. (NAME), It was so great to meet you on Friday. Thanks for taking the time t…
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Roots to STEM Podcast
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S2E6: The silver lining of ”no” with PhD student Nixon Arauz
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In this episode, we’re talking with Nixon Arauz, who is a PhD Student in Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Nixon’s personal experiences have shown him how important things like housing, education, and local politics are for health and wellbeing and has prompted him to become a passionate advo…
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This Week in Microbiology
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257: I have one word for you: plastics
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On this episode of TWiM, how phages prevent other phages from invading their hosts without blocking their own reproduction, and plastic-degrading potential of microbes across the Earth. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Prophages encode phage-defense systems with cognate self-immunity (Cell Host Microbe) Prophages self-destruct to el…
