338: Rewriting the Code of Life

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: Making yogurt with ants (iScience) The Alchemist Restaurant How to make classic tuiles (MasterClass) Defined microbes for chocolate (Nat Micro) Microbial chocolatiers of fine flavour (Nat Micro) 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   Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Decoy cyclic nucleotides in phage defense (Nature) CRISPR defense with nucleotides (Nature) A decoy defence molecule to set a trap for viruses (Nature) 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) Take the TWiM Listener survey! 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: Agent of sea star wasting disease (Nat Ecol Evol) Sea star wasting mystery solved (Nat Ecol Evol) 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]

TWiM explores the varied and distinct microbiome of trees, and an array of biopesticidal metabolites against mosquito larvae isolated from a Mediterranean island. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Microbiome of trees (Nature) Biopesticides from a Mediterranean island (Appl Environ Micro) 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 pays tribute to Elio Schaechter, former TWiM host, blogger, and microbiologist extraordinaire, then reviews the finding that Archaea produce peptidoglycan hydrolases that kill bacteria - a form of competition. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Petra Levin. Guest Mark O. Martin. Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission. Links for this episode Elio Schaechter (Wikipedia) Elio Schaechter Funeral Service (video) Archaea produce peptidoglycan hydrolases that kill bacteria (PLoS Biol) Take the TWiM Listener survey! Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) to [email protected]

TWiM discusses outbreak of Legionnaires disease in Harlem NY, an automated whole genome sequencing platform for bacterial strain typing in clinical microbiology laboratories, building E. coli with a 57-codon genetic code. Links for this episode Legionnaires' disease outbreak in NY (NY Health) Automated whole genome sequencing for clinical labs (J Clin Micro) Sequencing workflow for outbreaks (J Clin Micro) Rewriting code of life (NYTimes) E. coli with a 57-codon genetic code (Science) E. coli with one stop codon (TWiM 330) Become a patron of TWiM. Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

TWiM explains a study that examines pathogen presence in ancient humans and concludes that zoonoses emerged 6500 years ago with the domestication of livestock, and determination of universal rules that govern plasmid copy number. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson, and Petra Levin Guests: Mark O. Martin Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Human pathogens in ancient Eurasia (Nature) What once ailed us (NY Times) Rules of plasmid copy number (Nature Comm) Scaling laws of plasmids (Nature Comm) 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 the use of gas sensors and machine learning to identify microbes and antimicrobial resistance in clinical specimens, and how a harmful algal bloom species releases thiamin antivitamins to suppress competitors.   Become a patron of TWiM.   Links for this episode: Microbial and antimicrobial resistance diagnostics (Cell Biomaterials) Thiamin antivitamins suppress algal competitors (mBio) 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 two strategies for bacterial competition for resources: by laying down a slippery lipid and pushing away competitors, or by breaking open cells with a spike, liberating essential nutrients. Become a patron of TWiM. Links for this episode: Secreting a slippery lipid (mBio) Lysing neighboring cells for nutrients (Science) Underwater hockey (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]