This Week in Microbiology

357: Remembering Elio at Tufts 15.06.2026 55min

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.

TWiM 356: Nanopore to the bone 28.05.2026 49min

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: Bacteria Complete Your tRNA 09.05.2026 56min

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: How a Gut Microbe Worsens Heart Disease 24.04.2026 59min

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: Microbial Metabolism of Food Allergens 11.04.2026 46min

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: Microbial Gut Biosensors 28.03.2026 59min

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: Resistance Reboot 06.03.2026 59min

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: TWiM Goes to College 14.02.2026 53min

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: Punctured to Death by Spikes 01.02.2026 58min

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: The Bark Side of the Microbiome 21.01.2026 53min

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: At Wound's Edge 05.01.2026 55min

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: Metabolism and Porin Permeability 13.12.2025 53min

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: Faster Than Rocks! 22.11.2025 53min

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

344: Ant Yogurt and Fine Chocolate 08.11.2025 1t 6min

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: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Petra Levin Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Making yogurt with ants (iScience) The Alchemist Restaurant How to make classic tuiles (MasterClass) Defined microbes for chocolate (Nat Micro) Microbial chocolatiers of fine flavour (Nat Micro) Blind taste every chocolate bar (YouTube) 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

343: Nucleotides to the Defense 25.10.2025 43min

TWiM explores two different ways that bacteria defend against phages through the synthesis of cyclic nucleotides. Hosts: Michael Schmidt and Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Decoy cyclic nucleotides in phage defense (Nature) CRISPR defense with nucleotides (Nature) A decoy defence molecule to set a trap for viruses (Nature) Cyclic oligonucleotide-based antiphage signaling system immunity (Curr Opin Immunol) 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

342: The Microbiome, Pancreatic Cancer, and Sleep Quality 11.10.2025 53min

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: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Android, RSS, or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Oral microbiome and pancreatic cancer risk (JAMA Oncol) 2025 Cancer Facts & Figures (ACS) Periodontal Disease: The Good, The Bad, and The Unknown (Front Cell Infect Micro) Socransky's disease complexes (Microorg) Microbiome, pyruvate metabolism, sleep quality, and frailty (Cell Rep) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (pdf) How to score the sleep quality index (pdf) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

341: Sea Star Wasting Disease 27.09.2025 48min

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: Michael Schmidt and Michele Swanson Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Agent of sea star wasting disease (Nat Ecol Evol) Sea star wasting mystery solved (Nat Ecol Evol) Phenotypic inheritance from single cells (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

340: Microbes in Trees and Plants 12.09.2025 48min

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 patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Microbiome of trees (Nature) Biopesticides from a Mediterranean island (Appl Environ 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

339: Missing the Company of Elio 29.08.2025 59min

TWiM pays tribute to Elio Schaechter, former TWiM host, blogger, and microbiologist extraordinaire, then reviews the finding that Archaea produce peptidoglycan hydrolases that kill bacteria - a form of competition. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin. 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 Elio Schaechter (Wikipedia) Elio Schaechter Funeral Service (video) Archaea produce peptidoglycan hydrolases that kill bacteria (PLoS Biol) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

338: Rewriting the Code of Life 16.08.2025 53min

TWiM discusses outbreak of Legionnaires disease in Harlem NY, an automated whole genome sequencing platform for bacterial strain typing in clinical microbiology laboratories, building E. coli with a 57-codon genetic code. Links for this episode Legionnaires' disease outbreak in NY (NY Health) Automated whole genome sequencing for clinical labs (J Clin Micro) Sequencing workflow for outbreaks (J Clin Micro) Rewriting code of life (NYTimes) E. coli with a 57-codon genetic code (Science) E. coli with one stop codon (TWiM 330) Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.