This Week in Microbiology Podcast

TWiM explains how a mutualistic model bacterium can become lethal in a non-symbiotic host, and engineering a kill switch into a tuberculosis vaccine for improved safety.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson.

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Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

Links for this episode

• When a mutualist becomes lethal (mBio)
• A lasting symbiosis (Nat Rev Micro)
• A kill switch for BCG (Nat Micro)
• Engineering mycobacteria for vaccination (Nat Micro)
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Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]

TWiM explains a study of the unique and extreme microbial and chemical environment on the International Space Station, and the connection between the gut microbiome and pain in fibromyalgia.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson.

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Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

Links for this episode

• ISS chemical and microbial environment (Cell)
• Gut microbiota and fibromyalgia pain (Neuron)
• Gut pain eases after doses of gut microbes (Nature)
• Skin innervation and fibromyalgia pain (Ann Neurol)
• Altered microbiome in fibromyalgia (Pain)
• Intestinal microbiome and fibromyalgia (Intl J Rheum Dis)
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Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]

TWiM describes isolation of a novel bacterial species isolated from the China Space Station, and how a chemical radar allows bacteria to detect and kill predators.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Petra Levin.

Guest Mark O. Martin.

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Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

Links for this episode

• Niallia tiangongensis from the China Space Station (Int J Syst Evol Biol)
• Bacterial chemical radar (Cell)
• Take the TWiM Listener survey!

Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]

TWiM explains how to recode E. coli so it uses only one stop codon, and an exploration of the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion within dental plaque.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson.

Become a patron of TWiM.

Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

Links for this episode

• Engineering E. coli with one stop codon (Nature)
• Bacterial adhesion in dental plaque (mBio)
• Microbial complexes in subgingival plaque (J Clin Periodontol)
• Bacterial clusters in periodontal and peri-implant diseases (Microorg)
• Take the TWiM Listener survey!

Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]

TWiM explains Pasteur’s relentless hunt for microbes in the air, and how bacteria hunt for prey by ixotrophy - using grappling hooks!

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson.

Become a patron of TWiM.

Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

Links for this episode

• Pasteur’s hunt for microbes in the air (NYTimes)
• Bacterial predation by ixotrophy (Science)
• Enter the pirates (STC)
• Take the TWiM Listener survey!

Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]