248: Borgs Are Real

248: Borgs Are Real

Author: Vincent Racaniello August 13, 2021 Duration: 58:37

Mark Martin returns to TWiM to discuss ways to increase diversity in our field, and the discovery of Borgs, giant extrachromosomal elements with the potential to augment methane oxidation.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, Michele Swanson, and Michael Schmidt

Guest: Mark O. Martin

Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunesGoogle PodcastsStitcherAndroidRSS, or by email. 

Become a Patron of TWiM!

Links for this episode:

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


Dive into the fascinating world of bacteria, viruses, and fungi with This Week in Microbiology. Hosted by Vincent Racaniello, a professor of microbiology & immunology, this regular audio journey explores the latest research, news, and stories from the vast universe of microbes. Each episode feels like sitting in on a lively discussion among experts and colleagues, where complex topics are broken down with clarity and enthusiasm. The conversations are informal and engaging, designed to be understood by anyone with curiosity, whether you're a professional researcher, a student, or simply someone intrigued by the invisible forces that shape our health and planet. Building on the accessible style of Racaniello's other popular science shows, this podcast demystifies the latest scientific papers, emerging infectious diseases, and the everyday roles of microorganisms in a way that is both substantive and surprisingly entertaining. You'll hear genuine dialogue, questions from listeners, and diverse perspectives that make the science feel immediate and relevant. Tune in to discover how the smallest forms of life have some of the biggest stories to tell, all through a podcast that treats microbiology not as a distant textbook subject, but as a dynamic and ever-evolving narrative happening right now, all around us.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 354

This Week in Microbiology
Podcast Episodes
TWiM #33: Tuning the immune organ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:26
Vincent, Michael, and Ivo review the requirement for segmented, filamentous bacteria for the induction of a specific type of helper T cell in the gut. Links for this episode: Induction of Th17 cells by segmented filament…
TWiM #32: Not the shadow biosphere [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:55
Rosie Redfield talks about her evidence that a bacterium cannot grow on arsenic instead of phosphorus.
TWiM 31: Screen door on a submarine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:09
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Jo Handelsman, and Michael Schmidt Vincent, Jo, and Michael discuss an archetypal protein transport system in bacterial outer membranes, and evidence that gut microbial enterotypes might not fa…
TWiM #30: Unraveling melioidosis and insulin resistance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:04
On episode #30 of the podcast, Vincent, Elio, and Michael review how a toxin from Burkholderia pseudomallei inhibits protein synthesis, and the role of the gut microbiome in modulating insulin resistance in mice lacking…
TWiM #29: Death and an iron-loaded spike [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:48
On episode #29 of the podcast, Vincent and Stanley review how a phage pierces the cell membrane with an iron-loaded spike, and two programmed cell death systems in E. coli.
TWiM #28: Not unorganized bags of enzymes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:13
Vincent, Michael, and Elio review how competition within a host drives virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and the expanding universe of the bacterial cytoskeleton.
TWiM #27: An inflamed gut is good for Salmonella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:31
Vincent, Elio, and Michael review how inflammation allows Salmonella to compete with fermenting gut microbes, and a riboswitch in bacterial and Archeal species that is triggered by fluoride.
TWiM #26: Suum cuique [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:05
Vincent, Elio, and Michael discuss the finding of Sutterella species in the gut of autistic children, and methods for cultivating oral bacteria.
TWiM #25: Magnetotactic bacteria and totally drug resistant TB [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:55
On episode #25 of the podcast, Vincent, Elio, and Michael review bacteria that use the earth’s magnetic field for navigation, and identification of totally drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.