This Week in Microbiology

TWiM reveals that methane-producing bacteria might survive beneath the surface of Mars, and identification of a cytopathogenic toxin in a bacterium associated with preterm birth.

Hosts: Vincent Racan…

The TWiM discusses eradicating racism in academia and STEM, and a peptide from commensal bacteria that protects skin from damage caused by MRSA

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• Respo…

The TWiM team explains how breathing can transmit SARS-CoV-2, and how lack of breathing leads to loss of mitochondria in a multicellular parasitic animal.

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The TWiM team explains an experimental vaccine to prevent E. coli urinary tract infections, and the remarkable three-way symbiosis of narnaviruses, bacteria, and fungi.

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The TWiM team discuses saliva as more sensitive for SARS-CoV-2 detection in COVID-19 patients than nasopharyngeal swab and how Mycobacterium tuberculosis sulfolipid-1 activates nociceptive neurons an…

A ferret model for infection by SARS-CoV-2, and how Neolithization lead to emergence of a human bacterial pathogen.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, Michele Swanson and Michael Schmidt

Li…

Vincent, Elio and Michael reveal the ASM COVID-19 summit, and how Salmonella injects a protein into the cell to drive suppression of the immune response.

• ASM COVID-19 Summit
• Value of SARS-CoV-2 dia…

Vincent, Elio and Michael discuss the stability of human coronaviruses on surfaces and in aerosols, and peptidoglycan production by a mosaic consisting of a bacterium within a bacterium within an ins…

The TWiM team reviews the coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan, China, and the finding that an IRF deficiency underlies Whipple’s disease. 

• 2019-nCoV case tracking (JHU)
• Clinical features of in…

The Fellowship of the TWiM reveal that colorectal cancer-associated microbiota are associated with higher numbers of methylated genes in colonic mucosa, and identification of metabolites needed by th…

The Microbial Comrades present the oldest osteosynthesis in history, and how a small molecule produced by stressed bacteria is a warning signal that repels healthy populations to promote their surviv…

The TWiM team reveals how ribosome modification resuscitates bacterial persister cells, and explain how a phage tail fiber protein exploits rotation of flagella to move towards the cell membrane.

Bec…

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michele Swanson and Michael Schmidt

Guests: Deanna Beatty, Mark Hay, Gina Lewin, Frank Stewart, and Marvin Whiteley

At Georgia Tech, members and trainees of the Center fo…

From ASM Microbe 2019 in San Francisco, Vincent speaks with Victoria McGovern, Carl Nathan, and Dan Portnoy about advancing human health through innovative collaborations.

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Gu…

The TWiM holobionts pay tribute to Stuart Levy, and reveal the remarkably diverse array of cyclic nucleotides synthesized by bacteria that likely mediate interactions with animal and plant hosts.

Bec…

The tetracoccal TWiM team visits Tardigrades on the Moon, and the twelve year quest to isolate an archaeon that provides insights into the emergence of the first eukaryotic cell.

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Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guests: Nicholas Arpaia and Tal Danino

Vincent meets up with Nick and Tal to explain how they engineered E. coli to lyse within tumors and deliver an antibody that causes tum…

The TWiM team reveals thousands of small novel genes in the human microbiome, and a mutualistic symbiosis between marine protists covered with magnetosome-containing bacteria.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniel…

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, Michele Swanson and Michael Schmidt

Guest: Julie Wolf

Julie joins the TWiM team to reveal how microbiome and gut anatomy of a wood-feeding beetle promote…

Mark Martin joins Vincent and Michael to present compelling papers suitable for teaching microbiology to undergraduate students.

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• Paradigm shifts, par…