TWiM reveals a new type of satellite virus that requires only phage tails for producing infectious virus particles, and that highly virulent plague bacteria differs from its innocuous enteric predecessor by its resistance to lysis by human complement. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Michael Schmidt.  Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Android, RSS, or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode  Viruses that steal bacteriophage tails (Cell Host Microbe) Y. pestis not susceptible to human complement (Appl Environ Micro) How Y. pestis got its pathogenic groove (Appl Environ Micro) Risks of another pandemic (TedEd) Take the TWiM Listener survey!  Send your microbiology questions and comments to twim@microbe.tv Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

285: How Plague Got Deadly

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.

Science

Life Sciences

Today on TWiM, a charcuterie invasion, and how that acid in your stomach may protect from the invading hordes of microbes. Hosts: Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode  2024 Salmonella outbreak linked to charcuterie meats  Multitier regulation of the E. coli extreme acid stress response by CsrA Commentary: Peeling the onion: additional layers of regulation in the acid stress response Take the TWiM Listener survey!    Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

309: Stomach Acid Can Be Your Friend

TWiM reviews a case of E. faecium bacteremia treated with combination bacteriophage and antibiotic therapy, and how dopamine receptor D2 confers colonization resistance via microbial metabolites. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson. Guest: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode  Matters Microbial Distinct Fusobacterium dominates colorectal cancer (Nature) Bacterial subspecies that might drive colon cancer (Nature) A bacterial strain linked to colon cancer (Nature) Spatial perspective on bacteria in tumors (Nature) Colorectal cancer in the young (Yale Med) Surface colonization by Flavobacterium johnsoniae promotes its survival (mBio) THOR, a model microbiome (mBio) Take the TWiM Listener survey!  Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

308: Living in a Community World

TWiM reviews a case of E. faecium bacteremia treated with combination bacteriophage and antibiotic therapy, and how dopamine receptor D2 confers colonization resistance via microbial metabolites. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson.  Subscribe to TWiM (free) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Android, RSS, or by email. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode  Vincent’s interviews at SXSW Bacteriophage and antibiotic therapy for E. faecium bacteremia (mBio) Dopamine receptor D2 confers colonization resistance (Nature) CDC’s Reports of Selected E. coli Outbreak Investigations Brett Finlay’s narrated EPEC animation Colonization resistance by gut microbial metabolome (ACS Chem Biol) Take the TWiM Listener survey!  Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

307: Attaching and Effacing on a Pedestal

TWiM discusses the identification of natural products from reconstructed ancient bacterial genomes, and how plant mRNAs move into a fungal pathogen via extracellular vesicles to reduce infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Petra Levin. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode  Natural products from ancient bacterial genomes (Science) Plant mRNAs move into fungal pathogens (Cell Host Microb) Take the TWiM Listener survey!  Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

306: Spirulina Smoothies

TWiM reviews the ongoing cholera outbreak in Africa, and research showing that gut complement induced by the microbiota blocks pathogens and spares commensal bacteria. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode  Cholera in Southern Africa (Africa CDC) Deadly cholera outbreak in Africa (NY Times) Pediatric cholera in sub-Saharan Africa (Curr Op Ped) Gut complement spares commensals (Cell) Take the TWiM Listener survey!  Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to twim@microbe.tv

285: How Plague Got Deadly

Download our free app to listen on your phone