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This Week in Microbiology

Vincent Racaniello

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.

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24 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 54 min
English

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#364
September 26 · 47 min
364: DNA Damage as Defense Against Bee Pathogens
TWiM wonders why archaea are not pathogenic, and reveals how a colibactin produced by a honeybee gut symbiont defends against pathogens. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Why are archaea not pathogenic? (mBio) Archaeal viruses (Archaea) Colibactin made in honeybee gut (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
#363
September 12 · 58 min
363: Why Vegetables Are Good for Your Heart
TWiM explains the finding that Bunsen burners do not decrease deposition of microbe-containing particles, and how gut microbiota generate dinitrosyl iron complexes with cardiometabolic benefits. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Michael Schmidt Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Bunsen burners don't do what you thought they did (Micro Spectrum) How does air circulate in passenger planes? | AFP How germs travel on planes | Raymond Wang Gut bacteria and cardiometabolic health (Cell) 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
#362
August 29 · 51 min
362: When Gut Bacteria Share Chromosomes
TWiM explains how movement of DNA among gut bacteria drive large-scale genome mosaicism, and validation of a method for detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in outbreak-linked fresh produce. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Natural DNA transformation in the gut (ISME J) The transformation factor (J Exp Med) Validating cyclospora assay (J Food Prot) Cyclosporiasis (CDC) 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
#361
August 14 · 53 min
361: Bacteria and Colon Cancer Recurrence
TWiM explains the discovery of an avirulent bacterial signature associated with the development of recurrence following colorectal cancer surgery, and phage-derived proteins and conjugates that induce pilus detachment. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Petra Levin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Bacterial signature is associated with colon cancer recurrence (Nat Comm) Phage-derived proteins induce pilus detachment (J Bact) 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 Take the TWiM Survey
#360
July 31 · 56 min
360: Nitrogen Fixation Goes Eukaryotic
TWiM explains major implications of the link between plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance, and the discovery of a new organelle, the nitrogen-fixing nitroplast. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, 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 Plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance (Appl Envir Micro) The great Pacific garbage patch (YouTube) Rumen microbiome (Nat Biotech) Nitrogen-fixing organelle in marine alga (Science) This cell just changed biology (YouTube) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv
#359
July 18 · 48 min
359: Kin Killing and Metal Hunger
TWiM explains how cannibalism shapes biofilm structure and composition in Bacillus subtilis, and the importance of manganese uptake in uropathogenic E. coli during urinary tract infection. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Cannibalism shapes biofilm structure (mBio) Manganese and uropathogenic E. coli (mBio) Regulation of Bacterial MntH Genes (NLM Bookshelf) 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
#358
July 4 · 58 min
358: Gut Microbes and ALS
TWiM explains the connection between inflammation caused by microbial glycogen in the gut and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and how disruption of cysteine metabolism leads to synthetic lethality and in vivo fitness impairment in Acinetobacter baumannii. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Myeloid cell gene prevents inflammatory response to microbial glycogen (Cell Rep) Cysteine metabolism and fitness impairment in Acinetobacter baumannii (mBio) 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
#357
June 15 · 55 min
357: Remembering Elio at Tufts
TWiM visits Tufts University School of Medcine and are joined by John Coffin, Michael Malamy, and Verna Manni for a tribute to Elio Schaechter who was chair of Molecular Biology and Microbiology for 23 years. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Guests: John Coffin, Michael Malamy, and Verna Manni Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RSS, or by email. Become a Patron of TWiM! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
#356
May 28 · 49 min
TWiM 356: Nanopore to the bone
TWiM explains how Streptococcus mitis bacteriocins drive contact-dependent lysis of S. pneumoniae facilitating transformation, and microbial dominance in diabetic foot osteomyelitis determined with nanopore sequencing. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RSS, or by email. Links for this episode Streptococcus mitis bacteriocins drive contact-dependent lysis of S. pneumoniae (mBio) Microbial dominance in diabetic foot osteomyelitis determined with nanopore sequencing (J Inf Dis) Diabetic foot ulcer review (World J Clin Cases) How nanopore sequencing works (YouTube) Become a Patron of TWiM! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv
#355
May 9 · 56 min
355: Bacteria Complete Your tRNA
TWiM explains how an enhanced domestication method allows for growth of uncultured bacteria, and identification of the oncogene SLC35F2 as is a high-specificity transporter for the micronutrients queuine and queuosine. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson. Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Domestication method for uncultured bacteria (ISME Comm) Transporter for the micronutrients queuine and queuosine (PNAS) How diet and microbiome can impact your health (UF blog) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv
#354
April 24 · 59 min
354: How a Gut Microbe Worsens Heart Disease
TWiM explains a candidate signature of health in the gut microbial community, and how an intestinal bacterium exacerbates cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode A candidate signature of health in the gut microbiome (Cell Host Microbe) 204,938 reference genomes from the human gut microbiome (Nat Biotech) A human gut metagenome-assembled genome catalogue spanning 41 countries (Nat Micro) A comprehensive ruminant microbial catalog (Gigascience) Bacteroides acidifaciens exacerbates cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury (Cell Host Microbe) The Great Ozempic Experiment (NY Times, paywall) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv
#353
April 11 · 46 min
353: Microbial Metabolism of Food Allergens
TWiM explains how to use microbes to enhance maize yield and reduce corn rootworm damage, and how the human microbiota modulates IgE-mediated reactions to foods through allergen metabolism. Hosts: Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin, and Michele Swanson. Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Harnessing Microbes for Crop Production (Phytobiome J) Microbes take on corn rootworm (Science) Microbial metabolism of food allergens (Cell Host Microbe) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv
#352
March 28 · 59 min
352: Microbial Gut Biosensors
TWiM reveals the archaeal roots of eukaryotic life, and a building a gut malabsorption biosensor with bacteria. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode The archaeal roots of eukaryotic life (PNAS) Building a malabsorption biosensor (Cell) Engineering gut biosensors with microbes (Nature) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv
#351
March 6 · 59 min
351: Resistance Reboot
TWiM discusses the use of bacteriophage-loaded microneedle patches for targeted and minimally disruptive foodborne pathogen decontamination, and a conjugal gene drive-like system that efficiently suppresses antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Bacteriophage-loaded microneedle patches for food (Sci Adv) Gene drive to suppress antibiotic resistance (npj antimicrob and resistance) CRISPR gene drives (Syntego) Bier laboratory 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
#350
February 14 · 53 min
350: TWiM Goes to College
Nancy and Maggie join TWiM to share how and why they created a freely available ebook of TWiM-based science literacy resources and classroom exercises that support teaching across key microbiology and molecular biology topics. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Podcast annotation and resources in microbiology (Iowa State U) Curriculum guidelines for undergraduate microbiology (ASM) 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
#349
February 1 · 58 min
349: Punctured to Death by Spikes
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 patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Mechano-Bactericidal Surfaces (Adv Sci) Piercing pathogens (ASM) Natural bactericidal surfaces (Small) Virus-host evolution in microgravity (PLoS Biol) 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
#348
January 21 · 53 min
348: The Bark Side of the Microbiome
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: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Dog ownership and the microbiome during adolescence (iScience) Molecular basis for multidrug efflux (Nat Comm) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv
#347
January 5 · 55 min
347: At Wound's Edge
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: Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin. Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Niche-specific fitness of S. aureus at the wound edge (Nat Comm) Commensal derived short chain fatty acids attenuate S. aureus (mBio) Ditch the term pathogen (Nature) 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
#346
Dec 13, 2025 · 53 min
346: Metabolism and Porin Permeability
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: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt and Petra Levin Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Nutrient competition predicts drug effects on microbiota (Cell) Metabolic control of porin permeability influences antibiotic resistance in E coli (Nat Micro) Santiago Cano-Muniz 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
#345
Nov 22, 2025 · 53 min
345: Faster Than Rocks!
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: Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Guest: Mark O. Martin Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, RSS, or by email. Links for this episode Sulfur and iron cycling in anoxic environments (Nature) Bacterial surface migration by swashing (J Bacteriol) Become a Patron of TWiM! Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees. Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv

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