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This Week in Microbiology

This Week in Microbiology

By: Vincent Racaniello
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This Week in Microbiology is a podcast about unseen life on Earth.Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Biological Sciences Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • TWiM 345: Faster than rocks!
    Nov 22 2025

    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 twim@microbe.tv

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    54 mins
  • 344: Ant Yogurt and Fine Chocolate
    Nov 8 2025

    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 twim@microbe.tv

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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • 343: Nucleotides to the Defense
    Oct 25 2025

    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 twim@microbe.tv

    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
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