This Week in Microbiology

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]