This Week In Microbiology

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 antibiotic (Infect Immun) National Summer Undergraduate Research Project Letters read on TWiM 268 Take the TWiM Listener survey! 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

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) Cytokinin signaling in M. tuberculosis (mBio) Bandwagoning (EMBO Rep) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 CRISPR (Nature) Letters read on TWiM 266 TWiM Listener survey

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 desiccation tolerance (Cell Host Micro) Letters read on TWiM 265 TWiM Listener survey Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 coronary artery disease (mSystems) B. lactis and Alzheimer’s in mice (Eur J Nutr) 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

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) Letters read on TWiM 263 TWiM Listener survey Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

TWiM welcomes new host Petra Levin, 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. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode A small protein regulates carbon utilization (PNAS) Inhibitors of type IV secretion systems (mBio) Letters read on TWiM 262 TWiM Listener survey

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 Without Soil video (YouTube) Centimeter-long bacteria (bioRxiv) How large can a bacteria get? (YouTube) Giant bacteria (YouTube) Three faces of Thiomargarita (Small Things Considered) The microbe that could be seen (Small Things Considered) Energetics of the eukaryotic edge (Small Things Considered) A lakeside tale (Small Things Considered) Letters read on TWiM 261 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

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 composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

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 antimicrobial resistance (Nat Micro) Cancer moon shot (NCI) When antibiotics don’t work (TED) Cyanobacterium buoyancy (Nat Micro) 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

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 (Cell Host Microbe) Why do antibiotics exist? (mBio) Shorter is still better (J Hosp Med) Shorter vs longer antibiotic courses (J Hosp Med) Francis Tally and tigecycline (Clin Inf Dis) 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

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 eliminate competitors (Cell Host Microbe) Plastic-degrading potential across global microbiome (mBio) Plastics in our foods (ENV media) 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

TWiM discusses antigenic variation within dengue virus serotypes, and an mRNA vaccine that induces antibodies against tick proteins and prevents transmission of the Lyme disease agent. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, Michael Schmidt and Michele Swanson Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Android, RSS, or by email. Links for this episode: Dengue virus antigenic variation (eLife) mRNA vaccine induces tick resistance (Sci Transl Med) 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

TWiM reveals a study showing that positive interactions among bacteria are far more common than previously thought, and how acquisition of a single gene enabled Yersinia pestis to expand the range of mammalian hosts that sustain flea-borne plague. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, Michele Swanson, 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: Positive interactions are common among bacteria (Sci Adv) Expansion of mammal hosts for flea-borne plague (PLoS Path) Hurling fleas (TWiM #80) 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

Mark Martin returns to TWiM for a discussion of the observation that Gram’s stain does not cross the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, and suppression of gingival inflammation and bone loss through host modulation caused by episymbiotic Saccharibacteria.  Links for this episode Gram’s stain does not cross cytoplasmic membrane (ACS Chem Biol) Gram stain protocol (pdf) Chemical  mechanism of Gram’s stain (J Bact) Episymbiotic Saccharibacteria suppress disease (Host Cell Microbe) Microedu listserve TWiM Listener survey

Petra Levin joins TWiM to tell three stories from her laboratory: how starvation induces shrinkage of the bacterial cytoplasm; plasticity of E. coli cell wall and how it influences antibiotic resistance across different environments; and induction of antibiotic resistance by Triclosan. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, Michele Swanson, and Michael Schmidt Guest: Petra Levin Become a Patron of TWiM! Links for this episode Starvation induces E. coli shrinkage (PNAS) Plasticity of cell wall metabolism and antibiotic resistance (eLife) Triclosan induces antibiotic resistance (Antimicro Agents Chemother) TWiM Listener survey 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

On this episode of TWiM, using colicins to ferry DNA into cells through an iron transporter, and construction of highly efficient microbial fuel cells that produce more electrical current than previously observed. Links for this episode: Colicins used to ferry DNA into cells (mBio) Highly efficient microbial fuel cells (Science) Silver assists fuel cells (Science) Biological transport goes the extra mile (PNAS) Long distance transport in cable bacteria (PNAS) Columbia U pledges fossil free buildings (Columbia U) Become a patron of TWiM. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

TWiM explores the role of biofilms in infection by coronaviruses, and development of a Shigella vaccine using outer membrane vesicles derived from Salmonella Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode Biofilms and coronaviruses (Appl Envir Micro) Outer membrane vesicle vaccine (Appl Envir Micro) TWiM Listener survey 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

On this episode, an electrochemical scaffold that delivers safe doses of hypochlorous acid to treat wound infections in humans, and a method for sampling and monitoring bacteria and viruses on surfaces using plain paper stickers. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michele Swanson, and Michael Schmidt Links: E-scaffolds on TWiM 143 The EPS matrix (J Bact) Integrated HOCL-producing E-scaffold (AAM) Surface sampling bacteria with paper stickers (AEM) Surface sample viruses with paper stickers (Sci Rep) Become a Patron of TWiM! 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

TWiM reveals how temporal shifts in antibiotic resistance elements govern phage-pathogen conflicts, and the intracellular localization of toxin-antitoxin proteins in E. coli. Become a Patron of TWiM! Links for this episode: Phage-pathogen conflicts (Science) A ‘Trap-Door’ Strategy for Mobile Element Escape (Front Micro) Location of toxin-antitoxin proteins (mBio) Babel-Jerusalem Bookstore Letters read on TWiM 249 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