This Week in Microbiology

• 344: Ant Yogurt and Fine Chocolate

  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]

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• 343: Nucleotides to the Defense

  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]

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• 342: The Microbiome, Pancreatic Cancer, and Sleep Quality

  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]

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• 341: Sea Star Wasting Disease

  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]

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• 340: Microbes in Trees and Plants

  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]

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