BacterioFiles 311 - Synchronized Slimes Spread Slowly

Bacillus subtilis colonies
By Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0

This episode: Separate groups of bacteria can each thrive better when they take turns growing instead of competing!

Thanks to Jintao Liu and Rosa Martinez-Corral for their contributions to this episode!

Download Episode (14.2 MB, 15.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Palyam virus

News item

Journal Paper:
Liu J, Martinez-Corral R, Prindle A, Lee DD, Larkin J, Gabalda-Sagarra M, Garcia-Ojalvo J, Süel GM. 2017. Coupling between distant biofilms and emergence of nutrient time-sharing. Science 356:638–642.

Other interesting stories:

Microbe prefers making its own siderophores rather than relying on others' (paper)

Deep-sea animals live off microbes that eat oil

Correlating gut microbiome differences with anorexia (paper)

Having microbes affects mice's perception of internal pain

Bacteria that digest gluten could be helpful as probiotics (paper)

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 310 - Prodigious Particles Produce Proteins

Megavirus
By Chantal Abergel, CC BY-SA 3.0

This episode: Newly discovered giant viruses almost build their own replication machinery instead of using their host's!

Download Episode (11.2 MB, 12.3 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Terasakiella pusilla

News item

Journal Paper:
Schulz F, Yutin N, Ivanova NN, Ortega DR, Lee TK, Vierheilig J, Daims H, Horn M, Wagner M, Jensen GJ, Kyrpides NC, Koonin EV, Woyke T. 2017. Giant viruses with an expanded complement of translation system components. Science 356:82–85.

Other interesting stories:

Using insect bacteria to control devastating citrus disease

Microbes give meerkat gangs their signature scents

Bacteria use a special trick with their flagella to get unstuck (paper)

Fecal transplant microbes can stick around for years after treatment

Probiotics could help protect honeybees from pesticides

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook.

Episode outline:

Hurricane Preparedness

No episode this week. Busy preparing for the edge of Hurricane Irma. To all my listeners in a hurricane's path, stay safe!

BacterioFiles 309 - Fungus Foils Phytophagy

Leafcutting ants
By Bandwagonman,
CC BY-SA 3.0

This episode: Fungi living in plants could protect them from ants that cut up their leaves to feed their own fungal gardens!

Download Episode (7.5 MB, 8.2 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Escherichia virus RB3

Journal Paper:
Rocha SL, Evans HC, Jorge VL, Cardoso LAO, Pereira FST, Rocha FB, Barreto RW, Hart AG, Elliot SL. 2017. Recognition of endophytic Trichoderma species by leaf-cutting ants and their potential in a Trojan-horse management strategy. R Soc Open Sci 4:160628.

Other interesting stories:

What kinds of bacteria live on cats' skin (paper)

Microbes could help reduce levels of most toxic mercury form

Plant bacteria can protect plants against cadmium toxicity (paper)

Rotifer transposons can protect them against aging

Bacteria help protect against Listeria infection

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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BacterioFiles 308 - Predators' Projectile Prototypes

Nematodinium nematocyst cap

Gavelis et al. 2017

Science Advances

CC BY-NC 4.0

This episode: Eukaryotic ocean microbes have surprisingly diverse and complex ballistic weapons!

Download Episode (8.2 MB, 9 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Mycoplasma arginini

Cool videos of microbial weapons firing

Journal Paper:
Gavelis GS, Wakeman KC, Tillmann U, Ripken C, Mitarai S, Herranz M, Özbek S, Holstein T, Keeling PJ, Leander BS. 2017. Microbial arms race: Ballistic “nematocysts” in dinoflagellates represent a new extreme in organelle complexity. Sci Adv 3:e1602552.

Other interesting stories:

Astronaut Kate Rubin's experience as microbiologist in space (paywall)

Engineered nitrogen-fixing bacteria can reduce need for fertilizer (paper)

Diversity of bacterial communities on leaves linked with ecosystem productivity (paper)

Using parts of phages to do rapid detection of pathogens (paper)

Microbiome modification contributes to effect of diabetes medication

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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BacterioFiles 307 - Simplified Stable Soil Symbiosis

Enterobacter cloacae

This episode: A stable community of only 7 bacteria around corn roots take on similar functions to the much more diverse soil community!

Download Episode (12.5 MB, 13.75 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Corynebacterium insidiosum

Journal Paper:
Niu B, Paulson JN, Zheng X, Kolter R. 2017. Simplified and representative bacterial community of maize roots. Proc Natl Acad Sci 114:E2450–E2459.

Other interesting stories:

Gut community correlates with inflammatory bowel disease treatment effectiveness

Bacteria-produced hydrogen in soil could feed other plant-benefiting microbes (paper)

Engineered bacteria could treat genetic disease by digesting things for people who can't (paper)

Engineered cancer-killing virus also delivers therapy directly to tumors (paper)

Using microbes to create clothing that adapts in color and ventilation (paper)

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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BacterioFiles 306 - Microbes Moderate Metabolic Maladjustment

This episode: Microbes from obese mice seemed helpful in protecting other mice somewhat from an unhealthy lifestyle.

Download Episode (8.5 MB, 9.25 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Streptomyces thermoviolaceus

News item

Journal Paper:
Nicolas S, Blasco‐Baque V, Fournel A, Gilleron J, Klopp P, Waget A, Ceppo F, Marlin A, Padmanabhan R, Iacovoni JS, Tercé F, Cani PD, Tanti J-F, Burcelin R, Knauf C, Cormont M, Serino M. 2017. Transfer of dysbiotic gut microbiota has beneficial effects on host liver metabolism. Mol Syst Biol 13:921.

Other interesting stories:

Global warming could harm reptiles by disrupting their gut bacteria

Insect microbes that start causing disease but then stop when their numbers get higher

Microbes in sea spray affect the atmosphere and climate

How breastmilk bacteria affect infant's gut community

Sea sponge bacteria can produce toxic flame retardant chemicals

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

Subscribe: iTunes, RSS, Google Play. Support the show at Patreon, or check out the show at Twitter or Facebook.