Matters Microbial #61: All In Due Time–How Bacteria Wake from Dormancy October 17, 2024

Today, Dr. Paul Carini, of the Environmental Science department of the University of Arizona, joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss how soil bacteria can become dormant, “wake up,” and why that is more relevant than you might suppose.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Paul Carini

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Links for this episode

• A lovely essay about the “Cultivation Conundrum”:  why so many microbes in nature cannot be grown in the laboratory.
• The “uncultivated majority” is often called “microbial dark matter,” described here.  
• An essay about the scale of microbiology with some fascinating facts.
• Arizona Culture Collection project by Dr. Carini and colleagues.
• Dilution to extinction technique
• An overview of sporulation, including some fascinating variations.
• A description of Arthrobacter
• A description of Bradyrhizobium
• An essay explaining PCA plots
• An essay about intrinsically disordered proteins
• A very nice video about working in Dr. Carini’s lab.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
• Dr. Carini’s faculty website.
• Dr. Carini’s fascinating laboratory website.
• Dr. Carini’s Substack page, where he explores many microbiological ideas.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Matters Microbial #60: Influenza, Epidemics, Pandemics, and Fortunate Mistakes October 9, 2024

Today, Dr. Adam Lauring of the University of Michigan joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the job of a physician-scientist, RNA viruses, the tricks that influenza uses to create epidemics and pandemics, and the science behind flu vaccines.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Adam Lauring

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Links for this episode

• A description of the MD/PhD path in science.
• An introduction to RNA viruses.
• An article describing different types of RNA viruses.
• The history of influenza.
• An overview of the influenza virus.
• An essay on the shift/drift issue in influenza.
• A more formal review of the shift/drift issue in influenza.
• A video about the evolution of RNA viruses.
• An essay about influenza virus evolution describing some of Dr. Lauring’s work.
• Dr. Lauring and his colleague’s fascinating research lab page.
• Dr. Lauring’s faculty website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Matters Microbial #59: Some (Microbes) Like It Hot—Discussions with the Thermal Biology Institute October 3, 2024

Today is an unusual episode of the podcast.  I am visiting four microbiologists in the Thermal Biology Institute at Montana State University of Bozeman, Montana.  They discuss their work exploring the unusual microbes and environments to be found in Yellowstone National Park, ranging from the history of the park to opportunities for undergraduate students, as well as up-to-the-minute research done on the microbial denizens of this microbiological landmark.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guests (in order of appearance:): Brent Peyton, Dana Skorupa, Zackary Jay, Anthony Kohtzy

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Links for this episode

• A history and overview of Yellowstone National Park.
• An overview of microbiology in Yellowstone National Park.
• The story of Yellowstone National Park and PCR.
• Website for the Thermal Biology Institute.
• A prior podcast of #MattersMicrobial involving Dr. Roland Hatzenpichler and the research done by several of today’s guests.
• Dr. Peyton’s faculty website.
• Dr. Peyton’s laboratory website.
• Dr. Skorupa’s faculty website.
• A great article on the adventurous REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) that Dr. Skorupa supervises.
• Dr. Jay’s faculty website.
• A journal article describing some of Dr. Jay’s (and Dr. Kohtz’) work.
• A page including Dr. Kohtz
• An article describing some of Dr. Kohtz’ (and Dr. Jay’s) work.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Today, Dr. Cynthia Silveira of the Department of Biology at Miami University joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her research team’s efforts to explore how bacterial viruses interact with their host cells from coral reefs to other planets! In addition, Dr. Silveira will discuss her microbiological path and a course she teaches on virology.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Cynthia Silveira

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Links for this episode

• A video about marine bacteriophages and the role they play in ecological systems.
• A fine article about the role that bacteriophages can have in marine environments.
• An essay suggested that marine viruses may influence global climate.
• A link to the wonderful book, “Coral Reefs in a Microbial Sea.”
• Forest Rohwer’s laboratory website.
• The role of a retrovirus in the development of the mammalian placenta.  
• A bacterial role in snow making, using the commercial product “Snomax.”  
• A “faculty spotlight” essay on Dr. Silveiro.
• Dr. Silveiro’s laboratory website.
• Dr. Silveiro’s faculty website.  

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Matters Microbial #57: Pitting Metabolic Inhibitors Against Viruses September 18, 2024

Today, Dr. Tracie Delgado of the Biology Department at Seattle Pacific University joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her undergraduate research team’s explorations of how some herpesviruses can cause cancer . . . and how to use the host cell’s metabolism to fight those viruses!

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Tracie Delgado

Download MM#57 (39 MB mp3, 65 min) Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify

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Links for this episode

• An overview of the herpesviruses as a group.
• A description of gammaherpesvirus, the type of herpesvirus with which Dr. Delagado and colleagues work.
• The relationship between some herpesviruses and cancer.
• The mysterious Warburg Effect, discussed by Dr. Delgado today.
• A wonderful TED talk by Dr. Delgado.
• A talk Dr. Delgado gave at a 2017 March for Science Event, arguing for more and better representation in STEM.
• An article about Dr. Delgado’s journey to science.
• Dr, Delgado’s research team’s website with links to research articles that were discussed.
• Dr. Delgado’s faculty website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Matters Microbial #56: Marine Microbial Echoes of Evolution September 11, 2024

Today, Dr. Carolina Martinez Gutierrez of the Department of Earth Science at the University of California Santa Barbara joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her research team’s efforts to unravel how ancient microbes thrived in the early oceans of Earth’s history . . . and to sing the praises of marine microbiology!

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Carolina Martinez Gutierrez

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Links for this episode

• An overview of the microbiome of the ocean and geochemistry.
• A description of likely conditions on Ancient Earth.
• An essay about the Great Oxidation Event—the event that changed our entire planet.
• An article by Dr. Martinez Gutierrez and colleagues discussing how phylogenomics can help dissect microbial evolution without fossils.
• An overview of Prochlorococcus, one of the microbes Dr. Martinez Gutierrez discussed.
• A wonderful video about Prochlorococcus and a remarkable scientist.
• An overview of Pelagibacteri ubique (SAR11), one of the microbes Dr. Martinez Gutierrez discussed. An article about the work of Dr. Martinez Gutierrez and her research interests while a postdoctoral scholar
• The departmental website for Dr. Martinez Gutierrez
• The laboratory website for Dr. Martinez Gutierrez’s research group.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Today, the award winning and affable Dr. David Westenberg of the Missouri University of Science and Technology joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his efforts at microbial outreach from K-12 (and beyond), his fascinating research program, and his experiences teaching microbiology to engineers.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: David Westenberg

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Links for this episode

•  A TEDX talk by Dr. Westenberg.
• An overview of the BioBuilder program.
• An overview of the iGEM program.
• Dr. Westenberg’s page on the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biointeractive website.
• An article about “agar art” with microbes, featuring Dr. Westenberg.
• An article about the Woods Hole Microbial Diversity course by Dr. Westerfield.
• An article that shows Dr. Westernberg’s approach to teaching in a fun and accessible manner.
• Dr. Westenberg’s faculty website.
• Dr. Westeinberg’s laboratory group website

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Today, Dr. Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Assistant Professor at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his laboratory group’s work investigating a remarkable group of giant viruses and how they can shape marine algal community structure.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Mohammad Moniruzzaman

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Links for this episode

•  Here is a recent review of the giant viruses (more information appears almost monthly!).
• Another overview of giant viruses.
• An even more recent review of the giant viruses.
• An article exploring what we do not know about giant viruses.
• A video about giant viruses.
• An interesting article relating giant viruses to early cellular evolution.
• An article exploring the involvement of giant viruses in the evolution of the eukaryotic nucleus?
• A report of endogenous giant viruses making their own genomes part of marine green algae.
• The preprint of an article discussed by Dr. Moniruzzaman.
• An article about finding giant viruses in very hostile underwater brine pools—the giant viruses are ubiquitous!
• An article about Dr. Moniruzzaman’s research.
• A video by Dr. Moniruzzaman.
• Dr. Moniruzzaman’s faculty website.
• Dr. Moniruzzaman’s research laboratory website

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Today, Dr. Jennifer Goff of the Department of Chemistry at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her laboratory’s work studying the relationship between microbes in metal, as well as her path in the microbial sciences.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Jennifer Goff

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Links for this episode

•  A fine remembrance of Carl Woese from the journal Nature.
• A wonderful book by the great David Quammen that emphasizes the impact Carl Woese had on biology.
• An article by yours truly on the impact Carl Woese has on my students.
• An overview of biogeochemistry.
• The carbon cycle and how the microbial world is involved with the process.
• The nitrogen cycle and how the microbial world is involved with the process.
• An article about tellurium and microbes.
• An older overview of how microbes are involved in mining, as well as a more recent article on that topic.
• A review of metals and microbes.
• Dr. Goff’s faculty website.
• Dr. Goff’s fascinating laboratory group website, including links to the papers discussed by Dr. Goff.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]

Today, Dr. Justine Debelius of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her fascinating work relating the human microbiome to nasopharyngeal cancer, as well as her path in the microbial sciences.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Justine Debelius

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Links for this episode

•  A video overview of the human microbiome for introductory MIcronauts.
• Another interesting video introduction to the human microbiome.
• A review article describing relationships between microbiome and disease in general.
• A review article describing possible links between the microbiome and some forms of cancer.
• A short video describing possible links between the microbiome and some forms of cancer.
• An overview of nasopharyngeal cancer.
• A link to the article by Dr. Debelius on the relationship between the microbiome and NPC.
• Some updated information on this relationship.
• Dr. Debelius’ faculty scientist website.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to [email protected]