BacterioFiles Micro Edition 152 - Scientists Subjugate Circadian Cycles

This episode: Circadian rhythms in bacteria are amazingly simple, and now scientists have figured out how to modify their effects to help produce useful chemicals!

Download Episode (11.2 MB, 12.25 minutes)

Show notes:
News item/Journal Paper

Other interesting stories:

**Possible association between some of your genes and your gut bacteria
**Bacteria could help get more copper from mines
**Feeding soil microbes is important (PDF)
**Developing engineered biotech bacteria that can sense and respond better to toxic metabolites
**Bacteria use energy-sucking proteins to form ice crystals that punch entry holes into plants

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

Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at Twitter, MicrobeWorld, or Facebook

This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.

What if every virus in the world were collected into one area?

I always enjoy the webcomic XKCD's "What-Ifs" but this one was especially relevant so I wanted to share.

Pile of Viruses

There are LOTS of viruses.
(P.S. Don't forget to hold your mouse over the illustrations to see the alt text.)

BacterioFiles Micro Edition 151 - Morels Make Microbial Meals

This episode: Fungi herd and raise bacteria for slaughter!

* indicates bacterial inoculation
Arrow indicates sclerotia formations

Download Episode (13.2 MB, 14.4 minutes)

Show notes:
News item/Journal Paper

Other interesting stories:

**Phages could specifically kill C. difficile
**Using evolution to make big changes in bacterial genomes
**Comparing strains of herpes confirms out-of-Africa human history
**Types of bacteria in mouth could distinguish between ethnicities or even individuals
**Microbiome transplant could be helpful for plants too (paper)

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

Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at Twitter, MicrobeWorld, or Facebook

This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.

New podcast about plant pathology

Plants are very important for people (and bacteria!), and I talk a lot about soil ecology on this show, but microbes can cause disease in plants too, as much or more as in animals, especially fungi. So I'd like to introduce this newly minted podcast about plant pathology, the study of plant diseases, hosted by a graduate student in that field of study. If it sounds interesting, check out The Plant Pathology Podcast!

BacterioFiles Micro Edition 150 - Morels Make Mycelial Motorways

This episode: Bacteria use fungal filaments like highways to swim through soil!

Download Episode (7.7 MB, 8.3 minutes)

Show notes:
Journal Paper

Other interesting stories:

**Fecal transplants to treat infection could be given in pill form
**Deep-sea microbes feed crabs
**Combining photosynthesis and microbial fuel cells
**Your microbes could originate from the womb
**Virus combined with drug could treat cancer effectively

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

Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at Twitter, MicrobeWorld, or Facebook

This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.

BacterioFiles Micro Edition 149 - Psychrobacter Survives Siberian Schisms

This episode: Cold-loving bacteria can repair surprising amounts of DNA damage even sub-zero temperatures!

Download Episode (9.1 MB, 9.9 minutes)

Show notes:
News item 1/News item 2/Journal Paper

Other interesting stories:

**Bacteria can be made to do cool things
**Figuring out how fecal transplants help restore gut microbiome balance
**Amazing and important microscopic images
**Single-celled algae help researchers understand the brain
**Some bacteria help crops grow better in salty soil

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

Subscribe at iTunes, check out the show at Twitter, MicrobeWorld, or Facebook

This show features music from Mevio's podsafe Music Alley.