This Week in Microbiology

TWiM explains how to use microbes to enhance maize yield and reduce corn rootworm damage, and how the human microbiota modulates IgE-mediated reactions to foods through allergen metabolism.
Hosts: Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin, and Michele Swanson.
Guest: Mark O. Martin
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Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.
Links for this episode
Harnessing Microbes for Crop Production (Phytobiome J)
Microbes take on corn rootworm (Science)
Microbial metabolism of food allergens (Cell Host Microbe)
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Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]

TWiM reveals the archaeal roots of eukaryotic life, and a building a gut malabsorption biosensor with bacteria.
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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)
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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.
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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.


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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.
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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]