349: Punctured to Death by Spikes
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explains how mechano-bactericidal surfaces made from diverse materials and patterned with spikes kill bacteria on contact, and virus-host evolution is reshaped by microgravity aboard the International Space Station. Become a of TWiM. Links for this episode: Surfaces (Adv Sci) pathogens (ASM) Natural bactericidal surfaces (Small) Virus-host evolution in (PLoS Biol) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
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348: The Bark Side of the Microbiome
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explains the finding that owning a dog during adolescence alters the microbiota and improves mental health, and the molecular basis for multidrug efflux by an anaerobic-associated resistance-nodulation-cell division transporter. Hosts: , , and . Become a of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Links for this episode Dog ownership and (iScience) (Nat Comm) Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to
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347: At Wound’s Edge
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explains how S. aureus pathogenicity is a dynamic, niche-specific choreography that constantly recalibrates in response to the host microenvironment, and short chain fatty acids produced by commensal microbiota reduces its competitive fitness. Hosts: , and . Guest: Become a of TWiM. Links for this episode: Niche-specific fitness of S. aureus at the (Nat Comm) Commensal derived attenuate S. aureus (mBio) Ditch the term (Nature) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Send your...
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346: Metabolism and Porin Permeability
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explains how competition for nutrients anticipates and potentially mitigate drug side effects on the gut microbiota, and metabolic control of porin permeability influences antibiotic resistance. Hosts: , and Guest: Become a of TWiM. Links for this episode: Nutrient competition predicts (Cell) Metabolic control of influences antibiotic resistance in E coli (Nat Micro) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
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345: Faster Than Rocks!
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explains a biological mechanism that links sulfur and iron cycling in anoxic environments, and “swashing,” a form of surface movement in which bacteria migrate without active propulsion. Hosts: , , and Guest: Subscribe to TWiM (free) on , , or by Links for this episode Sulfur and iron cycling in (Nature) Bacterial surface migration by (J Bacteriol) Become a ! Music used on TWiM is by . Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
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344: Ant Yogurt and Fine Chocolate
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM reveals the bacteria, acids, and enzymes behind yogurt made with ants, and a defined set of microbes that reproduces attributes of fine flavor chocolate fermentation Hosts: , , and Guest: Become a of TWiM. Links for this episode: Making yogurt (iScience) How to make (MasterClass) Defined microbes for (Nat Micro) of fine flavour (Nat Micro) Blind taste (YouTube) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
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343: Nucleotides to the Defense
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explores two different ways that bacteria defend against phages through the synthesis of cyclic nucleotides. Hosts: and Become a of TWiM. Links for this episode: Decoy cyclic nucleotides in (Nature) CRISPR defense with (Nature) A decoy defence molecule to set (Nature) Cyclic oligonucleotide-based antiphage signaling system immunity (Curr Opin Immunol) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
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342: The Microbiome, Pancreatic Cancer, and Sleep Quality
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explains studies that show that the oral bacterial and fungal microbiome are risk factors for pancreatic cancer, and the gut microbiome and pyruvate metabolism of older adults are a link between sleep quality and frailty. Hosts: , , and . Subscribe to TWiM (free) on , , , , or by Become a of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Links for this episode risk (JAMA Oncol) 2025 (ACS) The Good, The Bad, and The Unknown (Front Cell Infect Micro) (Microorg) , and frailty (Cell Rep) (pdf) (pdf) Send your microbiology questions...
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341: Sea Star Wasting Disease
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM reveals a Vibrio as the causative agent of sea star wasting disease, and using microcolony-seq to uncover phenotypic inheritance from single cells. Hosts: and Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a of TWiM. Links for this episode: Agent of (Nat Ecol Evol) Sea star wasting (Nat Ecol Evol) Phenotypic inheritance from (Cell) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
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340: Microbes in Trees and Plants
This Week in Microbiology
TWiM explores the varied and distinct microbiome of trees, and an array of biopesticidal metabolites against mosquito larvae isolated from a Mediterranean island. Become a of TWiM. Links for this episode: Microbiome of (Nature) from a Mediterranean island (Appl Environ Micro) Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by and used with permission. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
info_outlineTWiM 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.
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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)
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