This Week in Microbiology
Vincent Racaniello
Recent Episodes
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)
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Music used on TWiM is by Ronald Jenkees.
Send your microbiology questions and comments to [email protected]
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:
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Making yogurt with ants (iScience)
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How to make classic tuiles (MasterClass)
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Defined microbes for chocolate (Nat Micro)
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Microbial chocolatiers of fine flavour (Nat Micro)
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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 [email protected]
TWiM explores two different ways that bacteria defend against phages through the synthesis of cyclic nucleotides.
Hosts: Michael Schmidt and Mark O. Martin
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Links for this episode:
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Decoy cyclic nucleotides in phage defense (Nature)
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CRISPR defense with nucleotides (Nature)
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A decoy defence molecule to set a trap for viruses (Nature)
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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 [email protected]
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)
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Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]
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:
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Agent of sea star wasting disease (Nat Ecol Evol)
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Sea star wasting mystery solved (Nat Ecol Evol)
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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 [email protected]