330: More mouth Microbiology

330: More mouth Microbiology

Author: Vincent Racaniello April 11, 2025 Duration: 53:57

TWiM explains how to recode E. coli so it uses only one stop codon, and an exploration of the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion within dental plaque.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Petra Levin and Michele Swanson.

Become a patron of TWiM.

Music used on TWiM is composed and performed by Ronald Jenkees and used with permission.

Links for this episode

Send your microbiology questions and comments (email or recorded audio) 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 #162: Intracellular bacteria with flagella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:42
The TWiM hosts and associated microbiomes review a fungus destroying salamanders in Europe, and genes for flagella in intracellular bacteria. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechte…
TWiM #161: Eros, a bacterial aphrodisiac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:56
From the TWiM team, a discussion of Hurricane Harvey microbiology, and a bacterial enzyme that induces eukaryotic mating. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter. Subscribe to TWiM…
TWiM #160: On the road to virus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:04
The TWiM team provides an update on Zika virus, and reveals a plasmid on the road to becoming a virus. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, and Michele Swanson. Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iPhone, Android, RSS, or…
TWiM #159: Immunophage synergy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:36
The TWiM team pays a tribute to Chris Condayan, and investigates the synergy between virus and the innate immune system for clearing bacterial pneumonia by phage therapy.
TWiM #158: The bottom line [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:01
The TWiM team considers a report on prokaryotic viral DNA in mammalian brain, and how diarrhea is beneficial, by clearing enteric pathogens. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter…
TWiM #157: Back to the ancestor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:43
The TWiMbionts explore the role of bacteria in the genesis of moonmilk, and how ancient host proteins can be used to engineer resistance to virus infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michele Swanson and Elio Schaechter.…
TWiM #156: Gifted microbes and defensive symbiosis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:56
The TWiM team explains the use of microbial genome mining to identify new drugs, and how a bacterial symbiont protects flies against parasitoid wasps. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Michele Swanson and Elio…
TWiM #155: Living in the stomach of a cell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:28
Michele updates the TWiMers on Legionella in the Flint water supply, and Elio informs us about how horizontally acquired biosynthesis genes boost the physiology of Coxiella burnetii. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Michael Sc…
TWiM #154: Rigor, lotteries, and moonshots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:22
At Microbe 2017 in New Orleans, the TWiM team speaks with Arturo Casadevall about his thoughts on the pathogenic potential of a microbe, rigorous science, funding by lottery, and moonshot science. Hosts: Vincent Racaniel…
TWiM #153: Covert pathogenesis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:35
The TWiM team ventures into preprint space with an analysis of type VI secretion across human gut microbiomes, and provide insight into urinary tract infection: how bladder exposure to a member of the vaginal microbiota…