This episode: Separate groups of bacteria can each thrive better when they take turns growing instead of competing!

Thanks to Jintao Liu and Rosa Martinez-Corral for their contributions to this episode!

Download Episode (14.2 MB, 15.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Palyam virus

News item

Journal Paper:
Liu J, Martinez-Corral R, Prindle A, Lee DD, Larkin J, Gabalda-Sagarra M, Garcia-Ojalvo J, Süel GM. 2017. Coupling between distant biofilms and emergence of nutrient time-sharing. Science 356:638–642.

Other interesting stories:

• Microbe prefers making its own siderophores rather than relying on others' (paper)
• Deep-sea animals live off microbes that eat oil
• Correlating gut microbiome differences with anorexia (paper)
• Having microbes affects mice's perception of internal pain
• Bacteria that digest gluten could be helpful as probiotics (paper)

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: Separate groups of bacteria can each thrive better when they take turns growing instead of competing!

Thanks to Jintao Liu and Rosa Martinez-Corral for their contributions to this episode!

Download Episode (14.2 MB, 15.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Palyam virus

News item

Journal Paper:
Liu J, Martinez-Corral R, Prindle A, Lee DD, Larkin J, Gabalda-Sagarra M, Garcia-Ojalvo J, Süel GM. 2017. Coupling between distant biofilms and emergence of nutrient time-sharing. Science 356:638–642.

Other interesting stories:

• Microbe prefers making its own siderophores rather than relying on others' (paper)
• Deep-sea animals live off microbes that eat oil
• Correlating gut microbiome differences with anorexia (paper)
• Having microbes affects mice's perception of internal pain
• Bacteria that digest gluten could be helpful as probiotics (paper)

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: Newly discovered giant viruses almost build their own replication machinery instead of using their host's!

Download Episode (11.2 MB, 12.3 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Terasakiella pusilla

News item

Journal Paper:
Schulz F, Yutin N, Ivanova NN, Ortega DR, Lee TK, Vierheilig J, Daims H, Horn M, Wagner M, Jensen GJ, Kyrpides NC, Koonin EV, Woyke T. 2017. Giant viruses with an expanded complement of translation system components. Science 356:82–85.

Other interesting stories:

• Using insect bacteria to control devastating citrus disease
• Microbes give meerkat gangs their signature scents
• Bacteria use a special trick with their flagella to get unstuck (paper)
• Fecal transplant microbes can stick around for years after treatment
• Probiotics could help protect honeybees from pesticides

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: Newly discovered giant viruses almost build their own replication machinery instead of using their host's!

Download Episode (11.2 MB, 12.3 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Terasakiella pusilla

News item

Journal Paper:
Schulz F, Yutin N, Ivanova NN, Ortega DR, Lee TK, Vierheilig J, Daims H, Horn M, Wagner M, Jensen GJ, Kyrpides NC, Koonin EV, Woyke T. 2017. Giant viruses with an expanded complement of translation system components. Science 356:82–85.

Other interesting stories:

• Using insect bacteria to control devastating citrus disease
• Microbes give meerkat gangs their signature scents
• Bacteria use a special trick with their flagella to get unstuck (paper)
• Fecal transplant microbes can stick around for years after treatment
• Probiotics could help protect honeybees from pesticides

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: Fungi living in plants could protect them from ants that cut up their leaves to feed their own fungal gardens!

Download Episode (7.5 MB, 8.2 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Escherichia virus RB3

Journal Paper:
Rocha SL, Evans HC, Jorge VL, Cardoso LAO, Pereira FST, Rocha FB, Barreto RW, Hart AG, Elliot SL. 2017. Recognition of endophytic Trichoderma species by leaf-cutting ants and their potential in a Trojan-horse management strategy. R Soc Open Sci 4:160628.

Other interesting stories:

• What kinds of bacteria live on cats' skin (paper)
• Microbes could help reduce levels of most toxic mercury form
• Plant bacteria can protect plants against cadmium toxicity (paper)
• Rotifer transposons can protect them against aging
• Bacteria help protect against Listeria infection

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: Fungi living in plants could protect them from ants that cut up their leaves to feed their own fungal gardens!

Download Episode (7.5 MB, 8.2 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Escherichia virus RB3

Journal Paper:
Rocha SL, Evans HC, Jorge VL, Cardoso LAO, Pereira FST, Rocha FB, Barreto RW, Hart AG, Elliot SL. 2017. Recognition of endophytic Trichoderma species by leaf-cutting ants and their potential in a Trojan-horse management strategy. R Soc Open Sci 4:160628.

Other interesting stories:

• What kinds of bacteria live on cats' skin (paper)
• Microbes could help reduce levels of most toxic mercury form
• Plant bacteria can protect plants against cadmium toxicity (paper)
• Rotifer transposons can protect them against aging
• Bacteria help protect against Listeria infection

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: Eukaryotic ocean microbes have surprisingly diverse and complex ballistic weapons!

Download Episode (8.2 MB, 9 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Mycoplasma arginini

Cool videos of microbial weapons firing

Journal Paper:
Gavelis GS, Wakeman KC, Tillmann U, Ripken C, Mitarai S, Herranz M, Özbek S, Holstein T, Keeling PJ, Leander BS. 2017. Microbial arms race: Ballistic “nematocysts” in dinoflagellates represent a new extreme in organelle complexity. Sci Adv 3:e1602552.

Other interesting stories:

• Astronaut Kate Rubin's experience as microbiologist in space (paywall)
• Engineered nitrogen-fixing bacteria can reduce need for fertilizer (paper)
• Diversity of bacterial communities on leaves linked with ecosystem productivity (paper)
• Using parts of phages to do rapid detection of pathogens (paper)
• Microbiome modification contributes to effect of diabetes medication

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: Eukaryotic ocean microbes have surprisingly diverse and complex ballistic weapons!

Download Episode (8.2 MB, 9 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Mycoplasma arginini

Cool videos of microbial weapons firing

Journal Paper:
Gavelis GS, Wakeman KC, Tillmann U, Ripken C, Mitarai S, Herranz M, Özbek S, Holstein T, Keeling PJ, Leander BS. 2017. Microbial arms race: Ballistic “nematocysts” in dinoflagellates represent a new extreme in organelle complexity. Sci Adv 3:e1602552.

Other interesting stories:

• Astronaut Kate Rubin's experience as microbiologist in space (paywall)
• Engineered nitrogen-fixing bacteria can reduce need for fertilizer (paper)
• Diversity of bacterial communities on leaves linked with ecosystem productivity (paper)
• Using parts of phages to do rapid detection of pathogens (paper)
• Microbiome modification contributes to effect of diabetes medication

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: A stable community of only 7 bacteria around corn roots take on similar functions to the much more diverse soil community!

Download Episode (12.5 MB, 13.75 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Corynebacterium insidiosum

Journal Paper:
Niu B, Paulson JN, Zheng X, Kolter R. 2017. Simplified and representative bacterial community of maize roots. Proc Natl Acad Sci 114:E2450–E2459.

Other interesting stories:

• Gut community correlates with inflammatory bowel disease treatment effectiveness
• Bacteria-produced hydrogen in soil could feed other plant-benefiting microbes (paper)
• Engineered bacteria could treat genetic disease by digesting things for people who can't (paper)
• Engineered cancer-killing virus also delivers therapy directly to tumors (paper)
• Using microbes to create clothing that adapts in color and ventilation (paper)

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook

This episode: A stable community of only 7 bacteria around corn roots take on similar functions to the much more diverse soil community!

Download Episode (12.5 MB, 13.75 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Corynebacterium insidiosum

Journal Paper:
Niu B, Paulson JN, Zheng X, Kolter R. 2017. Simplified and representative bacterial community of maize roots. Proc Natl Acad Sci 114:E2450–E2459.

Other interesting stories:

• Gut community correlates with inflammatory bowel disease treatment effectiveness
• Bacteria-produced hydrogen in soil could feed other plant-benefiting microbes (paper)
• Engineered bacteria could treat genetic disease by digesting things for people who can't (paper)
• Engineered cancer-killing virus also delivers therapy directly to tumors (paper)
• Using microbes to create clothing that adapts in color and ventilation (paper)

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook